


Dirty, Dead, Gone

by tofus



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Don't copy to another site, Game of Death, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, different death game mechanics, escape room, game of wits, no trials
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:00:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 29,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22530610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tofus/pseuds/tofus
Summary: Shuichi wakes up in a locker. The classroom is empty besides him and a boy with eyes the deepest shade of violet he has ever seen. Around his arm is a wrist watch, the screen flashing with an eerie message: “Fun team-building exercise: escape the room or die~”On Hiatus. (Be back soon!)
Relationships: Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi, implied relationships - Relationship
Comments: 210
Kudos: 629





	1. An Unlikely Duo

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so just letting you all know, I'm coming back to writing fanfiction after three years, so I might be a bit rusty. Things you should know before you decide to continue reading: there are NO trials. The core mechanics of the game are different. There will be no “blackened,” at least not in the way Danganronpa usually portrays it. There IS still Monokuma. There IS death. I haven’t played the game in a long time, so there might be some OOCness. But I’ll try my best. This is entirely self-indulgent and a WIP, so read at your own risk. I have the first three chapters outlined already. The more kudos and comments I get, the faster I usually write hehe. Blame my ego.
> 
> Anyway, here goes:

The first thing Saihara Shuichi realized upon waking was the suffocating darkness. His head touched what he deemed the ceiling and his back the wall. He slowly reached forward. Before him was also a wall, and judging by the sensation in his hands, made of metal. 

Shuichi spread his arms as wide as they could go, feeling for the space around him, calculating the distance in between. 

33in x 26in x 26in. 

A few dust particles entered his nostrils and he sneezed. All the while, it was getting harder and harder to breathe. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with fear however, as would any normal person, Shuichi felt the red hot determination to survive. A single phrase, spoken in an unfamiliar voice, rang in his head.

"You’re it.”

And he slammed his arms forward.

The wall before him caved and he tumbled out face-first onto the ground. The pain surprised him, but not as much as the surroundings. Here he was, lying on the floor of what seemed to be a dimly-lit classroom. Which wouldn’t have been a big deal, save for all the weeds springing from the ground and covering the walls.The thick layer of dust over everything in sight. It was like a scene out of an apocalyptic film.

“ That was a totally lame entry.”

Shuichi whipped his head up.

Standing on the opposite side of the classroom was a boy in white and a checkered scarf. From this angle, he seemed shorter than average, and his eyes were the deepest shade of violet Shuichi had ever seen. A grin played on the other’s lips, and Shuichi couldn’t find it in himself to look away.

“Cat’s got your tongue?”

“Um… N-no…” Shuichi cringed at his inability to talk like a normal human. He pulled himself off the ground. Patted the dust off his behind. He scanned the surroundings some more. A few windows lined one side of the wall, but they were all blocked by thick metal bars. 

“I’m… Saihara,” he said, if only to make up for the blunder just now. That’s what people usually did when they met new people, right? Introduced themselves?

“Woah, aren’t you trusting, giving out your name to a stranger just like that,” said the shorter boy, drawing his brows together.

“Huh?”

“What if I’m the one who brought you here? Are you sure you want to tell your abductor your real name?”

“You’re my abductor?”

“Nishishi! I’m not. But I could have been.” A blink, and he was just a few paces away from Shuichi. _How did he get here so fast?_

“Or, maybe I’m lying! Maybe _you’re_ the one who brought me here, and you gave a fake name so that I’ll drop my guard!”

“I didn’t! I woke up not knowing anything just like you.” 

Suddenly, Shuichi registered an unfamiliar weight on his left wrist. 

A sleek wrist watch coiled around it. The screen was dark. He shot a glance at the other boy. He’s just standing there, staring at him, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

Shuichi averted his gaze. After he felt around the sides of the watch for a few seconds, his fingers brushed against an area that seemed to slightly protrude. He pressed down on it.

The screen burst into life.

A myriad of colors zipped through the screen, blending and mixing into each other like a fever dream. Shuichi glanced at the other boy. Seemed he also turned on his watch after noticing what Shuichi had done.

Shortly after, the colors faded, until only a white background remained. Then, flashing on the screen was a string of ominous words:

> ☆Fun Team-building Exercise☆ 
> 
> Escape the room or die~

For a moment, Shuichi could not process the words. 

The wrist watch beeped, and a new string of words took the place of the former. 

> MonoWatch V.3
> 
> ☆Easy to use and indestructible!☆
> 
> Do not attempt to remove! If sensors pick up any foul play, the Happy Cubs neurotoxin will be administered, with death advancing in mere minutes! Failure to pass the “Fun team-building exercise” will result in one dose!

Then the text vanished, replaced with a countdown of sixteen minutes.

“Uh…”

“Don’t just stand there looking all dark and handsome. Let’s look for a way out!”

The boy’s words thrust Shuichi out of his thoughts. They formed an unspoken agreement to check opposite areas for any clues.

Shuichi headed for the door first. Or at least, what seemed to be a door. He didn’t expect it to open. Sure enough, it’s bolted shut. There’s not even a doorknob. The more he inspected it, the heavier his heart dropped. It didn’t even have hinges, as if the door were merely painted on. 

He directed his attention to the windows, where the other boy was standing. Those metal bars truly left an impression on him, and not the best kind. In hopes of finding anything that could slice through the bars, Shuichi stumbled his way to the teacher’s desk. 

As he tore through the drawers, hands shaking and heart thrashing against his chest, his ears caught the other boy’s words.

“We’re on the sixteenth floor. Guess we’re done for, huh?”

And his heart dropped even lower.

All of a sudden, realization struck him. “No, that’s wrong,” said Shuichi.

The other boy turned to him. He quirked a brow “Oh? So we’re not gonna drop dead in… 9 minutes and 45 seconds?”

“...It wouldn’t make sense for them to give us a task that we can’t complete. What’s the point of them kidnapping us then?”

“Maybe they just want to see the looks of despair on our faces once we discover there’s no way out. Look up there.” 

Shuichi shifted his gaze in that direction.

“A camera. Those guys must be getting off to this!”

“I-I admit that’s a possibility… But… it would be quite a boring show if that’s the case.”

Shuichi’s gaze fell upon the shorter boy. For a second, he’s afraid the youth crashed like some sort of computer program. His face was entirely blank. It seemed eerie, especially in the dim lighting. 

Then he stuck a hand out. “Ouma.”

“...Saihara.” Shuichi took his hand.

It’s rougher than he had expected, a few callouses sprinkled here and there. Ouma tightened his grip.

It didn’t hurt. Rather, Shuichi found it faintly grounding.

“Alright then, Saihara-chan! I’ll believe in you… for now!”

“T-thanks, Ouma-kun...” Shuichi fell into his thoughts. Organized them. The windows were barred. They were sixteen stories up. The door was fake and the lockers and desks held absolutely nothing of use. Where could they go from here?

He cast his gaze to the ground. There was nothing of suspect: just regular floor tiles one would see in any classroom. For a second, Shuichi had hoped there would be a hidden trapdoor or something under the tiles, but there didn’t seem to be a hint of that.

_If not the ground, then_ —

He looked up. 

Attached to the ceilings were flush rectangular lights. A few vines had climbed a wall all the way up. The longer Shuichi searched the ceiling, the faster his heart pounded, until at last, he caught sight of what he had been looking for.

“There! The vent!” 

Just a glance, and it was evident that the opening was wide enough to fit a person. The only problem was how high it was.

Ouma whistled. “Great job, Saihara-chan! Now we just need to build a tower up.”

“Y-yeah..”

Easier said than done, though. For when Shuichi attempted to push one of the student desks to the vent, it wouldn’t budge. No matter how much he exerted himself. A whiff of suspicion in his heart, Shuichi made for another desk. 

“Hnghh!” Sure enough, it wouldn’t budge either. In an instant, he dropped to a crouch. And what he had discovered shocked him.

The legs of the desks were all nailed to the ground.

Shuichi whipped his head toward a chair. It was also nailed down.

“Man, the teacher’s desk is completely nailed into the floor.” Ouma approached Shuichi and then some, crossing into his personal space as his head hung over latter’s shoulder. “Looks like it’s the same thing here, huh?”

“There’s got to be a way.”

“I hope so,” said Ouma. “Well, we’ve got…” He made a show of checking his wrist watch. “Five minutes and 34 seconds left to think of a plan. Man, we’re cutting it pretty close, aren’t we?”

Noticing the grim expression on Shuichi’s face, Ouma blinked. Then he burst into a huge smile. “Oh, oh, how about this? You go over there, right under the vent, and I can climb on your shoulders. I’ll remove the grill, crawl inside, then pull you up!”

“Ouma-kun, I don’t think—” His eyes widened. “T-that… might actually work.”

“See? I’m a genius! You have to obey my orders now!”

“But wait. We don’t have anything to open the vent grill with. The only things in those desks and lockers were notebooks and pens.”

“Oh, did I forget to tell you?” Ouma had the audacity to look ashamed. “I actually found a Phillips-head screwdriver in my locker.”

“Ouma-kun!”

“Geeze, I’m sorry, alright? Toootally slipped my thoughts.” From a pocket, Ouma retrieved the screwdriver. “Now up, up!”

It wasn’t difficult hoisting the other boy on his shoulders. Ouma was light, almost concerningly. The only thing that bothered Shuichi was how close to choking he was with those legs locked around his neck.

“Ouma-kun, n-not so tight...please. It’s hard to breathe.”

“Hang in there, Saihara-chan! Almost done.”

As if on cue, the grill fell to the ground with a _clang_.

"Sweet!" Ouma hopped from Shuichi's shoulders, hands grasping at the edge of the vent. He pulled himself in.

"Nishishi! So long, sucka!"

"W-what?! Ouma-kun!" Shuichi's face paled, cold sweat clinging to his back. The other boy was out of sight, swallowed by the shadows of the vent.

The moment his feet almost collapsed beneath him, a familiar purple-haired head popped out. 

"Got you good, didn't I?"

Ouma reached out a hand. "Jump and hold on."

Shuichi didn't have to be told twice.

He was hit with a sense of wonder at how easily the other boy seemed to yank him up. Adrenaline still pumping through his veins, Shuichi burst into laughter as soon as his whole body was in the vent. He was so deep in his own world that he did not notice Ouma giggling as well.

Amidst their laughter, a notification sounded. Smiles still plastered on their faces, Shuichi checked his wrist watch. Immediately, he grew sober at the words.

> ☆Team Wolf Teamwork Success! 5 Monokuma Credits obtained!☆
> 
> Next mission: Head to the solarium.

  
  


Following that, the screen changed into something resembling a GPS system, pinpointing where they should head next. It’s a welcomed feature, what with how many twists and turns there seemed to be in the ventilation system.

For a while, silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. But as with most things, Ouma smashed it open with a sledgehammer. “As payback for before, I’ll introduce myself properly. Ouma Kokichi, Ultimate Supreme Leader, at your service!”

Right. Shuichi almost forgot about the near heart attack the other boy had given him. Key word, almost. A strained smile spread across his lips. “Saihara Shuichi. Ultimate Detective.”

“A criminal and a detective working together. We make for an unlikely duo, don’t we?”

“Y-you’re a criminal?!”

“Well I _am_ the leader of a criminal organization that boasts over 10,000 members. What do you think, Mister Detective?”

“I think… if that’s true then you’re more amazing than I thought.”

“Right?~”

Eventually, the GPS pointed them to another grill. After unscrewing and pushing it open, the two boys dropped into a room that resembled a classroom. A wave of relief washed over Shuichi as the door actually moved when he pushed it.

It led to a long hallway. On one end stood a wide door, a large bronze plaque hanging above it that read “solarium.” At the other end of the hallway stood what seemed to be an elevator. But just like the windows prior, thick metal bars spanned from the ceiling to the ground, obstructing their way. 

Left with no other option, Shuichi and Kokichi made their way toward the solarium. As soon as they pushed open the door together, they’re met with the sight of a window spanning the length of an entire wall across from them. It’s barred, of course. And it was pitch black outside and cloudy; not a star was in sight. 

They’re not the first ones who had arrived. Fourteen other people stood in the room, all about the same age as Shuichi and Kokichi. Shuichi noticed that they all had on a wrist watch too. Most seemed to be grouped in twos, but a few stood by themselves.

Maybe it was because he shared a near-death scenario with Kokichi, Suspension-bridge Theory and all, that he felt closer to him than the others. Not to mention, Shuichi would be lying to say he was the most confident person. Unsure of how to approach the other people to begin with, he tugged his cap down to cover his eyes. 

Kokichi stared at him meaningfully, before breaking into a grin. “What, are you shy, Saihara-chan? Don’t worry, you can stick with me! I’ll be your knight in shining armor!”

“N-no… That’s okay—”

“WHAT?! So you can’t stand to be near me? HOW MEAN!!” And Kokichi burst into tears, snot and all running down his nose as he wailed to oblivion.

Flustered, Shuichi attempted to ignore the gazes converging on them. “C-calm down, Ouma-kun! Y-you’re making a scene—”

“Wow, you totally fell for it! Don’t tell me you actually thought I was crying?”

“You… weren’t?”

“Of course not! Do Supreme Leaders even have tear glands?”

“I think everyone does…”

“I lied again! Geez Saihara-chan, you’re really gullible, you know?”

“What’s with all the noise. Damn these degenerate males!” grumbled a girl with two long, braided pigtails. She glared at the two of them, hot enough to burn. By her side is a sleepy-looking girl with red locks, a witch’s hat complimenting the look.

“Gonta is worried.” A tall, largely-built and bespectacled youth approached them. “Are you okay?”

Pretty soon, the others crowded Shuichi and Kokichi, save for the few that stood alone: a masked boy with long hair, a girl with crimson eyes and dark hair pulled into twintails, and a boy even shorter than Kokichi with a listless gaze.

A blonde girl broke from the crowd, a warm smile gracing her lips.

“Hi there. I’m Akamatsu Kaede. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Ah, no… Saihara.” Shuichi looked down, once more tugging at his cap. He snuck a glance at Kokichi. He appeared to be pouting.

"Why don't we share information?" said Akamatsu. "Maybe we can figure out how we got here if we pool our brains together."

A boy with crazy grey hair bounced on his feet. He appeared suspiciously like an android. "I think that's a great idea!" 

"I don't really mind. Got nothing to say anyway," said the shortest boy of the bunch.

"I'll go first since I'm the one who proposed this. My name, like I mentioned before, is Akamatsu Kaede. And I'm the Ultimate Pianist. I woke up in one of those classrooms in a locker. Amami-san was in the locker next to mine."

The Amami-san in question raised a hand. Hair a tinge of green, an amiable smile on his lips. "That's right. The windows were barred, but I could tell we're far from the ground. The door opened easily enough though."

One by one, the students introduced themselves and described the moments after they roused. Turned out, they all woke up in a locker in a classroom with one other person. But none of them mentioned a locked door and having to escape the room. Shuichi glanced at Kokichi. The other party wasn’t looking at him. So either some of them lied, or Kokichi and Shuichi were special.

"And then there were these tacky wrist watches on us that all said ‘head to the solarium,’” said the girl known as Iruma Miu. “Sorry to say this guys, but no chick would ever want to bang you if you're wearing one of these."

The girl with a plain appearance, Tsumugi Shirogane said, "They'll inject a neurotoxin into you if you tried to remove it.”

"I tried to banish it with magic but I'm out of MP."

"That's okay, Himiko-chan! Just the thought counts!" 

Apparently, that wasn’t the case, because Kokichi butted in. "Geez you're so useless that you can't even magic us out of here. And you call yourself an Ultimate Magician."

"YOU SHUT UP UNLESS YOU WANT TO DIE!"

Shuichi found himself with his arms around Kokichi’s waist, yanking him backwards from Chabashira’s deadly grasp. Meanwhile, the other boy laughed it off as if it were a hilarious joke.

All of a sudden, the projector from the ceiling flashed on, painting the wall across from it in vivid colors. Not a moment later, Shuichi heard a giggle that he would never forget in this life.

“Upupupupu~!”

Displaying on the spacious wall was now a teddy bear with a deranged appearance. Half of its body was a brilliant white. The other half, dark as the abyss. Its dark half sported a jagged crimson eye that seemed to peer into Shuichi’s soul.

“Welcome to the Ultimate Academy of Gifted Individuals! I’m your headmaster, Monokuma!” Following that grand introduction, the bear leaped out of the wall and stepped into reality. 

Screams filled the room.

“Zip it! Unless you don’t want to keep your legs.” An eerie, high-pitched giggle escaped from its lips.

“W-what do you want?!”

The bear seemed to eye them with much disappointment. “Wow, you guys are pretty dumb. You’re lucky I’m a nice guy and can bear to explain things to you.” It shrugged. “You’re here because you’re all naughty children that need to be punished! Otherwise, you’ll be having actual lessons!”

“Why are we ‘naughty children’? What did we do wrong?” asked Akamatsu.

Monokuma eyed her meaningfully. A moment later, he grinned. “Noooot teeeeelling! But you’ve all sinned pretty heavily! Howeeeeever, in light of your ultimate talents, you have all have been sent to rehab here! A second chance, if you will!” 

The boy known as Momota Kaito clenched his fists, knuckles glowing white. “What are we supposed to do?” 

“Simple! Just follow the instructions on your wrist watches! They’ll be ten quizzes that will test your knowledge and abilities! Pass all ten quizzes, and then you can take your Final Exam! Once you do, you can graduate and get the hell out of here!

“There’ll be one quiz every week, just to keep you on your toes! Slackers get the boot, literally! I’ll stomp your brains in upupupu!” 

Chabashira furrowed her brows and cracked her knuckles. “What can a little bear like you do?” 

“Oh, you’ll be surprised. Plus, have you already forgotten the neurotoxins in your watches? Touch me, and you’ll get a nice dose pumped into your pathetic veins!” 

At that moment, each of their wrist watches let out a sound of a notification. Everyone checked their screen.

Rules:

  1. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is not allowed.
  2. Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and punished accordingly.
  3. With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore the academy at your discretion.
  4. "Nighttime" is from 10 pm to 6 am. Students found loitering in the halls will be punished.
  5. Damaging the security cameras is not allowed. Anyone found doing so will be punished.
  6. In order to graduate, pass all ten quizzes and take the Final Exam.



  
  


“Right now, you’re all stuck on the sixteenth floor! Up here, you get the solarium (for all your sunshine needs!), the girls’ restroom (damn, looks like you’ll have to hold it in, boys!), and the library (perfect for you nerds!)”

“Wait, what about food? And where are we going to sleep?”

“Yeah, won’t we be punished for not sleeping in the dorms?” asked Amami. “Last time I checked, there weren’t any here.”

“How are the guys supposed to take a big, stinking shit!” said Kokichi with a grin so wide, it almost split his head open.

“No way we’re letting you in the girls’ restroom! I bet you all want to peep on this gorgeous body, but too bad! You’ll just have to use your imagination to jerk off your virgin dicks!”

A look of pure disgust appeared on Kokichi's face. “No one wants to see your whore body, slut.”

“Hiiieek!”

“Ahem! Before I was sooo rudely interrupted. Seriously kids. You do this again and I’ll be forced to punish ya!” Monokuma twirled in place. “Anyway, if you can’t sleep in the dorms before ‘nighttime’ arrives, then you’ll just have to be penalized! There are sixteen floors in total. The dormitory is on the fifteenth floor. If you want to go down a floor, that’s simple. You’ll just have to go from sixteen students to fifteen and the elevator will power on!”

“W-what?”

“What the fuck are you trying to say!” screamed Momota.

“Man, are you dumb or what?” said Kokichi, turning to the person in question. “Actually, don’t answer that. I can already tell from the stupid haircut.” Then he turned to Shuichi. “C’mon Saihara-chan! Tell them what Monokuma means!”

“It means… we can obtain access to the floor beneath us if… someone d-dies.”

And the room fell in an uproar.

“How could you say that, you degenerate male! Look, Himiko-chan’s scared now!”

“I-I didn’t…”

Akamatsu stepped in between them. “Calm down Chabashira-san. I’m sure Saihara didn’t mean any harm.”

“So… In order to reach the first floor, only one of us can remain alive,” muttered the one known as Korekiyo.

“Seems to be the case,” said Harukawa Maki.

Shuichi watched in silence as the teenagers before him argued, their emotions rising. His heart started to pound again, so much so that he could hear it in his ears. 

“Wait. Then what about the Final Exam?”

Everyone looked at Shuichi.

“Monokuma… You said we can graduate and leave as long as we pass all ten quizzes and take the Final Exam.”

“Upupupu! That’s correct! What a sharp eye you have! When it comes down to it, you guys are still useful being Ultimates and all. So we won’t be pushing you into a killing game per se.”

“Only ‘per se?’” quipped Harukawa.

“Exactly!” chirped Kokichi. “What Monokuma means is that going down the floors is just a luxury!” 

“Food isn’t a luxury, you twink! How else can I keep these beautiful twins.” Iruma cradled her breasts.

“U-um, I think we are going off topic,” the Ultimate Robot, Kiibo, said.

“When have I said you will starve? You just need to exchange Monokuma credits there,” Monokuma pointed to a vending machine in the corner of the solarium, “and BAM! Food! Well, there’s also a ton of other things available in there.” Monokuma’s gaze fell upon them and an unnerving grin stretched across its face. “For a price!”

“And, pray tell, how do we attain these ‘credits’?” asked the so-called Ultimate Maid, Kirumi Tojo.

“Easy! By completing the daily quests. You’ll see them on your wrist watch at 12 pm! And you have until 11:59 pm of the same day to complete them.”

Kokichi asked, “What if we fail? Are you gonna punish us again?” 

“Upupupu~ I wish…” Monokuma appeared dejected. “But luckily for you, I’ve been shackled with some reeeally heavy rules. This isn’t even my final form! You kids are sooo lucky!”

“Wait, wait! Atua says this still doesn’t solve the problem of not being able to sleep in the dorms.”

“Then you’ll just have to eat punishment!” said Monokuma, joy thick in his voice.

“Hold on, if we’re going by what Ouma-kun said before, and heading down the floors is just a luxury…" Shiuchi placed a hand on his chin. “Then the punishment for not sleeping in the dorms shouldn’t be life-threatening.” 

“Oh? So Mister Detective was actually listening to lil’ ol’ me?” 

Under the weight of Kokichi’s strong, heavy gaze, Shuichi found his face burning. It were as though they were the only two people in the solarium. 

“Losing an ear or an eye… You won’t die from that. Do you really want to take this gamble, Saihara-chan?”

“I…”

“Nishishi! Juuust kidding! Hey, hey, Monokuma! So is the punishment gonna kill us or what?”

“Asking all these questions, do you think I’m your headmaster or something?” Everyone stared at Monokuma. “Ah! I guess I am! Okay, I’ll clue you cubs in. No, the punishment for sleeping outside of the dorms isn’t life-threatening. You won’t lose a body part either or anything like that… unless you want to, of course!”

“Well! That’s good enough for me!” said Kokichi.

“Wait, so what is the punishment?” asked Akamatsu.

“Hmmmmmmmmm! Not telling! Figure it out on ya own, you sinners!”

Just as Shuichi was about to ask another question, a bell rang. 

“The class bell! O-oh I better go…But before that, check your MonoWatches for your class schedule!” 

And Monokuma disappeared. 

How.. anticlimactic.

"I guess we should check out the schedule." Shuichi tapped the screen of his MonoWatch. After navigating the user interface for a moment, he came to his class schedule.

> 8:00 | Rise and Shine
> 
> 9:00 | Breakfast in Cafeteria ( **ERROR** )
> 
> 10:00—18:00 | Self Study
> 
> 19:00 | Dinner in Cafeteria ( **ERROR** )
> 
> 20:00 | Cleanup Duty
> 
> 21:59 | Lights Out
> 
> 22:00—6:00 | Nighttime
> 
> Any time not accounted for is break time!

  
  


The door to the solarium swung open.

Shuichi and Kokichi shared a look. Something lurked in those violet orbs, something dark and knowing. 

There were many things he still could not comprehend. A plethora of questions where each answer lead nowhere. Who brought them here? What was "Team Wolf?" Why did it seem like he and Kokichi started off with more credits than the rest? Shuichi could not help but feel something else was at play here.

He braced himself and stepped through the door.

  
  
  



	2. Team Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah. I'm thrilled at the response for chapter one. 66 kudos and 11 public bookmarks hehe. Thanks for giving this fic a try, WIP that it is. 
> 
> Because I have no self-restraint, here is chapter two. Chapter three has already been fully plotted and chapter four is on its way there. For faster releases, please shower me with kudos or comments hehe
> 
> Edit: Had to repost this 'cause it wasn't showing up for me. Sorry to the subscribers.

Doors lined each side of the hallway, some ajar and some not. With a library in the middle of the left wall, the rooms on opposite-side walls didn't match up directly. Shuichi peeked through the cracks of the doors. They’re all classrooms. _So these must be where everyone woke up._

The metal bars that used to obstruct the way to the elevator and stairs had retracted into the ground. A large sign hung next to the door to the stairway. On its surface was an image that briefly summarized what lay in all sixteen floors. Like Monokuma had mentioned earlier, the dormitory was listed on the fifteenth floor. The cafeteria on the tenth. What caught Shuichi’s eye were floors three to one, which were bolded in red.

Suddenly, their MonoWatches lit up.

“Is this a quest?” 

“No way.” 

“It looks like... Homework?” Sure enough, the text flashing on the screens read:

> ☆Homework☆ [Rank E]
> 
> What floor is the cafeteria?
> 
> Reward upon completion: 5 Monokuma Credits 
> 
> Failure: None

Once they entered the answer, “tenth,” the watches beeped again, rewarding them. 

The first person in the group to break the silence was Harukawa. "Are the ‘homework’ the ‘quests’ then?"

"No… That can't be it,” said Shuichi in a soft voice. “Monokuma said that the quests will come at 12pm.”

"Gonta not really understand."

“Since the quests will appear at 12pm, this can’t be one because it’s only 10:14am,” Amami took his time saying, making sure to be gentle with his words.

"So it seems that bear has yet to reveal all the elements in this game… How utterly human of him," said Korekiyo.

Throwing his arms around his body, Momota shivered, eyes darting left and right. "You know… I still don't get how he just popped out of the wall like that. Am I the only one who’s shocked?" 

The group remained silent, each person falling into their own thoughts.

In the end, the consensus proved to be checking if the elevator worked. But like everyone had expected, the doors remained unmovable. There was even a sign that read “out of order” in chicken scratch taped haphazardly to them. 

“Looks like we’re out of luck.”

“Maybe the stairs would fare better.”

“I’ll give it a rocket kick!” 

But other than a resounding _thud_ , nothing else happened. 

“Man, and you thought you were some hot stuff,” said Kokichi, picking his ears.

“I-it’s sturdier than it looks!”

“Let Gonta try!”

“Ah, me too.”

Yet, no matter how many times Gonta and Amami rammed at the door to the stairwell, it was to no avail.

“Damn,” said Amami, rubbing his shoulder. “Is that thing painted on or what?”

Shuichi looked up. Caught sight of a security camera aimed at the door and another one aimed at the elevator. Eventually, the teens split up once more to check the other rooms. With more attention to detail applied, they noticed that there were security cameras hidden in nooks there as well.

Moreover, like Shuichi and Kokichi’s starting room, the desks and chairs were all nailed to the ground. The lockers contained nothing of use, just some paper and pens. The spirits of the group tanked.

In one of the classrooms, Shuichi saw Amami with his ear pressed to a wall. Curious, he approached the other party. Other than listening to the wall, Amami Rantaro seemed to be knocking on segments of it, before moving to the next. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Well, I’m checking to see if there’s any hollow spaces.”

“Why?”

“So that he can stuff a body in there, of course!”

“O-Ouma-kun! When did you get here?”

Indeed, Kokichi stood right behind Shuichi, head peeking from the latter’s side. Once their gazes met, the shorter boy flashed him a frown. “Gosh Saihara-chan, do you have the memory of a goldfish? I said I’ll be your knight in shining armor and escort you around!” 

Such words caused Shuichi’s face to burn. But before he could refute anything, the other boy made his way to Amami’s side. “That was a lie. I’m a Supreme Leader! I’ve got no time to play around with you.”

“That… was a lie too, right?”

Kokichi’s eyes brightened. “You got me there!” He then turned to Ultimate Adventurer. “Amami-chan looks really dumb banging the walls like that. Here, let me help you!” 

And he threw a kick at that spot in the wall. 

A cloud of dust and debris burst through the air. After it cleared, what the trio discovered… was nothing. 

“Well, that was pointless,” said Kokichi, picking his ear.

“Ah, I guess that was all for nothing. Sorry for wasting your time, guys.”

“No… At least you’re trying to figure things out,” said Shuichi.

Amami watched as the Ultimate Detective and Ultimate Supreme Leader left the classroom together. With a sigh, he rubbed his hands of dust. But just as he was about to turn and leave, he caught a glint of something in the rubble. His eyes widened a fraction once he registered what it was. And he pocketed it.

The others were still searching the other rooms. The trio of Chabashira, Yumeno, and Yonaga were checking the girls’ restroom, which faced the library. In the library were Kiibo, Gonta, and surprisingly Iruma.

Shuichi and Kokichi returned to the room with the opened vent, the one closest to the solarium on the right. As soon as they stepped foot within, Kokichi spun on his heel and locked the door. Turning back around to face Shuichi, he took step after step, backing the taller boy into the lockers on the opposite side.

"Ouma-kun…"

His face was devoid of emotion. "You know what this means, right?'

"...What?"

"There isn't just one game going on here." 

_Ding._ They’re still staring into each other's eyes, but they were both aware what that sound was for.

Kokichi grinned.

"Looks like our game is about to start." 

Flashing bright on their MonoWatch screens were the words: 

> ☆Daily Quest☆ [Rank ?]
> 
> Sabotage the sheep in gathering 100 tokens!
> 
> Reward if successful: 100 Monokuma Credits
> 
> Happy Hunting!

“Sheep… Does that mean the others?”

“Weeelll, it’s not for certain we’re the only wolves,” said Kokichi. “Though I think it’s highly likely we are. There are eight classrooms, four on each side of the hall. And none of the rooms apart from ours have the vent grill removed.”

“Maybe they screwed the screws back in…” Shuichi fell into his thoughts. “Although…” He approached the vent. Squinted. Upon closer inspection, he said, “The rooms are covered in a thick layer of dust. So if the edges of the grill aren’t dusty, then that means someone placed it back in.” He turned to face Kokichi. “Let’s do a sweep of the rooms.”

Sure enough, the edges of the other vent grills were chock-full of dust.

“I guess we have it then,” said Kokichi, locking his hands behind his head with a grin. “No one else used the vents to get around.”

“It’s not a hundred percent guaranteed, but I doubt there was another way out of those rooms,” said Shuichi, voice near whisper. “Unless, there were different types of escape-rooms involved.”

“Nishishi! What a mess!”

“We should start looking for coins,” Shuichi said. “Since the quest says to stop the sheep from gathering a hundred coins, it’s likely there are more than a hundred coins scattered on this floor. Otherwise, it’ll be too one-sided of a game toward the wolves’ favor.”

“Wow Saihara-chan! You’re just doing all the work for us. Maybe instead of being your knight in shining armor, I’ll be your stay-at-home wife instead!”

“O-Ouma-kun…” Shuichi fought back the blush threatening to show itself. He cleared his throat. “That’s not true anyway. You’ve helped a lot.”

Kokichi just hummed.

_Since failing a quest won’t give punishment, it should be okay to sabotage the rest._ Shuichi rolled his hands into fists. _Right?_

All of a sudden, a frightening thought zipped through his mind, leaving uncertainty in its wake. He felt for his wrist. While fumbling with his MonoWatch, Shuichi came across an option he hadn’t seen earlier. Which was surprising, since it was in bright red.

_Team Wolf Files._

“What are you looking at?”

Shuichi whipped his head up from the screen. Caught sight of Kokichi snooping at it. “Um. I think it’s information just for us.” He threw his attention back on his MonoWatch. With a tap of his finger, a text box appeared.

> ☆Team Wolf Special Perks & Additional Clauses☆
> 
> 🟄Rule 4 does not apply to you! Use this time to stir some trouble.
> 
> 🟄You can abstain from one Quiz.
> 
> 🟄You can take the punishment of someone else once.
> 
> 🟄Should the Sheep discover what you are, a lethal dose of Happy Cubs neurotoxin will be administered.
> 
> 🟄For every Sheep that fails a Quiz, you will be rewarded.
> 
> 🟄 You will receive information about the Quizzes 24 hours beforehand.
> 
> 🟄Should the living student body escape together, y̸̫͉͎̹͎̞̆̊̀̎̐̅̋͝ͅo̧̢̝̳̗͔̘͉̦̗̽̈͊̈̀͊͒̒ư̵̢͕͉̪̠̝̔̓̐̋͢ w̢̟͈̫̰͙͕̜̗̃̆̉̑͗̉̓͡͠į̶̱̥͍͎̟̈́̓̈́̐̓͂̕̕͡l̷̦̫̘̮̩̮͖̆͐͌̉̔͠l̸̛͚͓̮̱̙̼̝͛́̒̔̈́͘͝͡ d̨̡͓̘͖̦̯̑͒̈̽͛̚̚ī̴̢̛̙̳̞̜̠͔̂̈́͛̚͢͡ě̶̱͉̜̜̫̺̦̬̱̿̆͋̅͑͘͟͞
> 
> Happy Hunting!

It was a lot to take in. However, perhaps most alarming were the fourth and last bullet points. A cruel reminder of just what kind of situation they were in.

His breathing grew rough and ragged. His eyes wide, pupils dilated from fear. What if he had accidentally blabbered to the others about Team Wolf? What if he hadn't had that sudden urge to check through his MonoWatch? Shuichi did not even want to entertain those thoughts, the sobering notion draining the strength from his legs.

Before he hit the ground, a pair of strong arms caught him, supporting his weight.

"S-sorry."

He made sure to look down. Away from that deep, violet gaze.

A long, drawn-out sigh.

"Gosh, Saihara-chan. You're really such a scaredy-cat." In one swift motion, Kokichi ripped his cap away from his head. Shuichi had yet to react, when the other boy grabbed his chin, forcing him to look up. "We just gotta make sure to keep it a secret, right?" His stare did not leave room for objections.

"R-right…"

"Besides." And a smile graced those pink lips. "Don't these perks seem interesting?"

They ended up searching the room again. Shuichi discovered a golden coin lodged between one of the locker doors, Monokuma’s face engraved on both sides.

“Wow, I can’t believe you didn’t find that earlier.” Kokichi nudged his shoulder.

At this point, Shuichi had regained his calm. He shifted his gaze to the other boy's shoulder, still feeling a bit exposed without his cap. “Um, weren’t you the one looking through that locker first?”

“Damn, I take back what I said before! Your memory’s not like a goldfish’s at aaaall.”

Somehow, Kokichi’s little antics caused the corners of his lips to quirk up.

Once they had ransacked the room and found no other tokens, Kokichi screwed the grill back on the vent. After doing so, he stared at Shuichi and held a finger to his lips.

They headed back to the hall. One glance, and it was obvious everyone was searching their own rooms first.

“I guess we can check the libra—”

“Girls’ restroom!” piped Kokichi.

“H-huh?!”

“Oh c’mon, Saihara-chan! This is the best time to search through it since no one else is there right now! Pluuuus,” Kokichi bounced on his feet, shifting his weight from one to the other, “I _really_ have to pee!”

Helpless, Shuichi acquiesced to his demand. The other boy pulled him by the hand there in quick, quiet steps.

There were four stalls in total, with doors that sat flush on the ground. Kokichi kicked open one of the stalls, a crazy gleam in his eyes. Meanwhile, Shuichi checked under the sinks. Found a token stuck to the back of one of the sink pipes with used bubblegum. Just as he’s about to pluck it, a scream ripped through the air. And Shuichi bumped his head on the base of the sink.

A gasp of pain left his lips and he rubbed at the point of collision. From the way it felt, it was already starting to swell. “W-what happened?”

“Oh nothing. There were no tokens,” said Kokichi with a smile.

Shuichi heaved a long sigh, and in one crisp motion, finally ripped that token out.

“But I _did_ find something else that was interesting.” Kokichi stretched out a hand. Lying on his palm was an item that resembled a small sphere. But upon closer inspection, there was actually a protruding edge to it, conveniently hidden as it lay on his palm. Shuichi narrowed his eyes, bringing the mystery item closer.

“Is this… a key?”

“Seems like it, right?”

_But every key is made to open a lock._ Shuichi furrowed his brows. _So what does this open?_

“Woah Mister Detective, that’s some scary face you got on!”

“Ah, s-sorry. I was thinking.”

“No, no that’s okay. That’s your job anyway. Detecting, right?”

“Um, sure...” Shuichi handed the key back to Kokichi who pocketed it, a clang ringing the moment he did.

“Oh Ouma-kun, do you happen to still have that screwdriver?”

A wrinkle between his brows, Kokichi stared at him as if he had two heads sprouting from his neck. “Screwdriver? What screwdriver?”

“The one you used to open—”

“You mean this?” In the blink of an eye, Kokichi pointed the screwdriver at Shuichi. The way he held it gave off the impression of a ninja brandishing a blade. To calm his bubbling irritation, Shuichi sucked in a deep breath.

“Yes… Well, it’s good to see you still have it. Might come in handy later.”

After searching some more, they grew four tokens richer. Suddenly, footsteps rang from the hall.

Before Shuichi could even react, Kokichi yanked him into one of the stalls. Locked it. 

The voices were feminine. Sounded like the trio of Chabashira, Yumeno, and Yonaga.

“There’s gotta be tokens hidden here somewhere!” said Chabashira.

“Mmm. I’ll just stand here and recharge my mana.”

“Oooh! Atua will show us the way!”

Then they started opening the stalls. 

With his and Kokichi’s stall being the farthest from the door, they had at most minutes before the trio found them.

A thousand possibilities zipped through his mind. Scenarios from keeping the door barricaded to throwing rolls of toilet paper at the girls in order to make his getaway. But at the end of the day, none of those seemed feasible. His heart beat so loudly he could hear it in his ears.

And then they were at his stall.

“Hey, what the heck? It’s not budging.”

“Maybe if you give yourself to Atua, you shall receive his blessing!”

“Um. no thanks Angie. I think I’ll just kick it down.”

There’s a loud slam and the door shook upon collision. But luckily, it remained shut.

“Hah?! Is there someone in there?”

Heart thrashing against his chest, Shuichi could feel the sweat clinging to his skin, dripping down his back. Chabashira was really strong. And the Ultimate Akido Master. She could truly kick down the stall door if she wanted to. What if she did? What if she saw him and Kokichi here?

However, before he spiraled into a deeper panic, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Shuichi glanced behind him. Smiling, Kokichi had a finger to his lips, shaking his head. He squeezed his shoulder.

Only then did Shuichi calm.

“Ehh, the lock’s probably broken.”

“But it was fine just before!”

“It’s okay Tenko-chan. We already found sixteen tokens anyway. All sixteen of us just need to get a hundred.”

“Angie agrees!”

And then the trio finally made to leave.

When Shuichi was certain they were gone, he swiftly unlocked the door and dashed out. Kokichi followed suit.

Once they’re standing right outside the girls’ restroom, they look at each other. And they burst into laughter.

“I… can’t believe we survived that.”

“Nishishi! What can I say, Saihara-chan’s my good luck charm!”

“W-wha…” Shuichi blushed.

A smile spread across Kokichi’s lips, genuine in appearance. Then he smirked devilishly. “Imagine what the girls would say if they find out you were hiding in the stall like a pervert.”

An instant, and Shuichi froze. “What? N-no—”

“Just kidding!”

“Ouma-kun… You really get a knack out of teasing me, don’t you?”

“Wow, Saihara-chan’s actually learning! Is this how a proud father feels?”

“I thought you were my stay-at-home wife?”

“I take that back. Saihara-chan’s dumb! Dumb!”

They headed for the library. It wasn’t very large, about the size of two classrooms fused together. Unfortunately, they were only able to uncover three tokens there. 

“So one token from our classroom, five from the girls’ restroom, and three from the library makes nine tokens. Damnnn, this is hard. I wonder how they can even find a hundred,” said Kokichi, beaming. Currently, they sat on a bench in the solarium next to each other. Earlier, they had checked the room, yet their search had proved fruitless.

Kokichi leaned against Shuichi, resting his head on his shoulder.

Shuichi smiled wryly. “There’s still more than ten hours left until the quest ends automatically.”

“Maaan, I’m famished! Let’s get something to eat!”

“W-wait Ouma-kun!” But Kokichi already ran off to the vending machine.

He followed him there. Watched as the other boy eyed the selection and threw around exaggerated poses of thought. 

“Hmmm. Somehow I don’t think a Cup Noodle is worth 5 credits, but—oh, they’ve got Panta!” And he spent 2 credits like nothing.

“Ouma-kun, you shouldn’t use your credits so wastefully. If you want something to drink, I’m sure the sinks in the girls’ restroom have water.”

“But I want Panta! I want it! I want it! I want it!”

“O-okay!”

As if a switch were flipped, Kokichi phased out of his tantrum. Stared straight at Shuichi.

“Y-yes?”

“If you want a taste, go for it,” he said, his tone nonchalant.

“I couldn’t… You spent your hard-earned credits on it. I’d feel bad.”

“Well _I’d_ feel bad if you don’t. C’mon, just a sip. Just a sip would do. Pwetty pwease!”

Shuichi obliged.

For a hairsbreadth of a second, Kokichi’s face grew impassive, and if Shuichi hadn’t been looking at him just now, he would have just missed it. But a blink, and the mischievous smile returned.

"There's some weird shit in here, eh? Well maybe someone like Iruma-slut would be into them."

Confused, Shuichi followed the other boy's line of sight. His eyes popped.

Sitting in the right corner of the vending machine's top shelf, underneath a gaudy pink sticker that read "daily deal," were a few questionable items: a neatly-coiled whip, a pair of pink fluffy handcuffs, and a box of "Monokuma-tested and bested" condoms.

But perhaps the most important clue was the gaudy sticker.

"Daily deal… so these items will change every day?"

"Who knows? Hey, can you give me a lift?"

"H-huh? Um, okay."

Sitting on Shuichi's shoulders, Kokichi was one head taller than the vending machine. 

_Riiiiippp._

"What are y-you doing?!"

"Ah, Saihara-chan. You can let me down now." 

Once Kokichi's feet touched the ground, he crushed whatever was in his hand. 

"Did you just… rip off the sticker?"

"Hmmm? What sticker? I see no sticker. Was there ever a sticker?"

Neurons fired. Without having to be told, Shuichi could guess the reason for Kokichi’s sudden strange action. _He doesn’t want anyone to know about the daily deals. He wants to keep it a secret… between us._

He drew his brows together a hint.

In the end, Shuichi purchased a Cup Noodle, sharing it with Kokichi. It’s only fair, was what Shuichi thought.

The rest of the students filtered into the solarium shortly after.

To his surprise, they had obtained a total of sixty-three tokens. _How the heck did they find so many?_

“How many coins did you guys find?” asked Akamatsu.

As Shuichi freezed up, not knowing what to say or planning this far, Kokichi responded, “Just two. We were reeeally unlucky.”

“So sixty-five altogether, huh?” Momota physically deflated. “Still a long way from a hundred.”

“I’m surprised we didn’t come across any as we had searched the rooms before the quest arrived,” said Tojo. “Could it be that the tokens manifested only after we received the quest?”

Iruma widened her eyes. “How is that possible?” 

“How did that bear hop out of the wall?” countered Harukawa.

“Tojo-san has a point,” said Akamatsu. “But I think for now, instead of debating this, we should be discussing whether we want to take Monokuma’s words as is.”

Hoshi frowned. “Are you saying… you want to break the rules?”

“No, not exactly. But I think we have to determine whether we stick with the agenda, or try to find another way out ourselves.”

“Not to rain on your parade, but I don’t exactly see a way out of here,” said Harukawa.

“Meh, I actually prefer this game. Way more interesting than us all trying and failing to escape,” said Kokichi, prompting a heated glare from most of the student body. 

“I want all of us to escape together,” said Akamatsu. “If anyone opposes this idea, then speak out now.”

Silence.

Shuichi placed a hand on his chin. Did his best to ignore the clawing sense of unease in his chest and the perspiration clinging to his forehead. Was this fate? Just minutes after he had read those damning special clauses, Akamatsu brought up the topic of escaping together.

Normally, he would be content with standing in the background, his brain whirling with countless theories and deductions while his lips remained sealed. But not now. The situation was pressing. “I think… we should start with the elevator.” 

If someone could escape first...

“Huh?”

Thrusting a fist in the air, Momota said, “But the power to it is shut off. And the doors might as well be glued together with superglue.”

“Ooooh. I get where you’re coming from,” chirped Kokichi.

“What is it? Gonta wants to know.”

“I’d like to know too,” said Amami.

“Kiibo… You’re the Ultimate Robot, right?”

The robot in question nodded vigorously. “That is correct!”

_Good, good._ Shuichi bit his lip. “So you should have something that can open the elevator panel. Something like… a screwdriver, perhaps?”

He fought the urge to glance at Kokichi. He felt bad about it, but it’s better that they didn’t reveal all their cards just yet.

“I do! I come with a variety of accessories and tools.”

“But do you have a dick?” 

“O-Ouma! That’s Robophobia!”

Shuichi shook his head, watching as Kokichi laughed in Kiibo’s face. He cleared his throat, once again summoning the attention of the others. He cast his gaze to the ground.

“After you open the elevator panel, Iruma-san can see if there’s a way to restore power to it. I mean, I’m no electrician but… if everything apart from the elevator has power, then maybe something is blocking the power from getting to the elevator?”

He looked up, and surprise colored his face. Everyone was looking at him like he was the messiah. His ears bloomed red. “Um…”

“That’s a great idea!” Momota broke the silence first. “Hmm. I don’t do this often, but I like the look of ya. Mhm. That’s right. You’re my sidekick now, Saihara!”

“O-oh... Thanks?”

“No way someone like Saihara-chan will be your sidekick. Now get out of here. Shoo, shoo.”

“Why you little—”

“Hahaha! A gorgeous genius like me can definitely get the power back on. But don’t jerk yourselves too hard ‘cause of this perfect combo of beauty and brains!”

“Disgusting slut.”

“Hieeek?!”

After that, Iruma and Kiibo worked on the elevator together. Momota stuck around as well. In case they needed some manpower later. 

Amami and Akamatsu disappeared off somewhere, and Tojo busied herself by keeping the rest of the group, who were in the solarium, comfortable.

With the rest of them occupied, Shuichi and Kokichi returned to their makeshift base: the classroom with the vent they had crawled out of.

The shorter boy proved silent for once. He walked all the way to just below the vent, back facing him.

“Ouma-kun.”

In an instant, Kokichi flipped around. "Saihara-chan, I'm impressed. I didn't know you had it in ya to be so sneeeaky."

A frown slid its way across Shuichi's lips. "I'm... not sure what you're implying."

"Directing them to the elevator. You just want those poor suckers to fix it and escape by yourself at night, right? Or maybe." He took a step forward, leaning into Shuichi's personal bubble. "You're hoping one of the more competent ones escape first. Did I hit the nail on the head?"

Shuichi made to tug at his cap, only to grasp air. For a moment, not a word escaped his lips. Then he nodded. "Yeah. You're not completely off about that."

Kokichi whistled. "Count me in."

"Hm?"

"Let me leave with you or I'll tell everyone you're a dirty, stinkin' Wolf."

Just as his blood pressure began to build, the shorter boy burst into laughter. 

"Juuust kidding! Hey, don’t you find it strange that they found so many tokens?” 

The abrupt change in topic almost gave him whiplash. Shuichi swallowed what he wanted to say, staring.

“Or, maybe not. Nishishi. Maybe I’m just talking out of my ass.”

A furrow of the brows. “No, I think you’ve got a point. Assuming that the tokens appeared supernaturally after we received the quest, like what Tojo-san had proposed, why did we only find one token in our classroom? We were there when the quest had appeared, so it's impossible that someone else checked this classroom before we did.” Shuichi turned to Kokichi and noticed the other boy was staring intently at his shoulder. It made him a bit nervous. “Um, this is solely on the assumption that the tokens appeared after the quest, of course.”

Slowly, as if he were testing his words and tasting them on his tongue, Kokichi said, “These doors lock from the inside. With over a hundred tokens scattered on this floor, we should have at least come across a couple when we had first dropped into this room. But we didn’t.” He met Shuichi’s gaze, bright and blinding, but at the same time, seeming to swallow whatever before it whole. “So in order for that to make sense, I think they _did_ materialize after the quest.”

Then he turned away and the spell broke.

“Man, this supernatural shit is really creepy.”

Shuichi couldn’t help but nod. “Anyway… back to that topic. So far, we’ve deduced that the tokens appeared after the quest was given. We only found one token in this room, but judging by how many the others had rounded up, there should have been many in each room. If we assume that Chabashira-san and Yumeno-san, who shared a room, and Yonaga-san, who woke up with Tsumugi-san, only searched their rooms before checking the girls’ restroom, then… There should be an average of 8 coins per classroom. 

“No matter how we had ransacked ours, we only discovered one. Why did our room have fewer tokens than the others? 

“ _Where are the rest?_ ”

Shuichi stood still as Kokichi started pacing about the room. Once. Twice. Three times. For some reason, he found the sight calming.

"Maybe, there really are seven more tokens in here."

"Huh?"

"I'm saying…" Kokichi came to a halt and shifted his gaze to the taller boy. "Maybe they're not in plain view."

"...Isn't that obvious, though? We did have to overturn a few things to find this token."

"Gosh, Saihara-chan. Do I really have to spell it out for you? There are probably coins underneath the floor tiles, in the ceiling, in the walls!"

Shuichi widened his eyes. One word caught his attention, alarm bells ringing in his head. "Walls?"

"Remember how Amami-chan found that hollow space in the wall? Maybe our coins are hidden in those hollow spaces!"

A gasp of surprise left his lips. Then Shuichi dashed to the nearest wall and pressed his ear to it, doing as Amami had done so in the past. On a different wall, Kokichi did the same. 

To Shuichi’s astonishment, they actually found a hollow area. After sharing a look and nodding, the two summoned all their strength in a single leg each. Kicked.

The spot on the wall collapsed into itself with a groan, clouds of dust and debris flying through the air.

What they discovered among the rubble proved staggering. 

"Is that…"

"A TV!"

Shuichi had to fight the urge to pinch himself, settling with blinking again and again. "How is that possible?"

However, calling it a TV was a bit of an understatement. There were multiple monitors. Some displayed the rooms on the sixteenth floor. Shuichi could make out the figures of Korekiyo in one of the classrooms. Akamatsu sat in the solarium chatting with Tsumugi. Iruma, Kiibo, and Momota were still stationed by the elevators.

It wasn't just monitors either. There was a control panel of sorts too, equipped with countless flashing buttons and a keyboard, among other things.

A whistle rang out behind him.

"Wow, neato~"

"W-wait—"

And Kokichi pressed one of the buttons. One of the monitor’s field of view shifted. "So this one moves the camera by the elevator." Kokichi faced Shuichi. "Hey, hey, doesn't this feel like we're the masterminds or something?"

"We… can't let anyone else see this." Shuichi moved to lock the door. It's not like he wanted to lie to the others, one of omission or not, but causing a panic would not fare well at such a time. He definitely wasn’t feeling guilty. _Anyway, since Ouma-kun and I are the only ones with access to this, it shouldn't be a problem._

“We should sleep here for the night,” he said. “Or at least, make a show of it.” His eyes fell on the vent right above.

Kokichi stilled. “Oooh! You wana roleplay as a spy again?”

Rolling his eyes, Shuichi approached the other boy. “The ventilation system is extensive. Back then, we only followed where the GPS pointed us to. But if we explore it at night…”

He sucked in a breath. "We might just uncover a way out of here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to address a few points before I hop off. You guys might notice how different this Dirty, Dead, Gone's Shuichi is to canon Shuichi. Although I said in the first chapter that there might be some OOCness because I hadn't played the game in so long, this isn't part of it. Canon Shuichi and DDG's experienced different things. For one, Kaede did not reach out to him. Or rather, she didn't have the chance to, since at this point, he was often around Kokichi. Because of the near-death scenario from the start of chapter one, Shuichi feels closer to Kokichi. It's a special kind of bond. 
> 
> So, because he hasn't been under Kaede's influence, nor did she die and give the burden of leading the group to him, Shuichi doesn't feel like he is responsible for everyone's lives. Not to mention, that last clause of Team Wolf's special perks and rules. Shuichi is a nice guy, but even a nice guy won't sacrifice his life so that strangers can leave a prison earlier. Now if the consequence for the Wolves winning is the execution of the Sheep, he might have second thoughts. However, there's no evidence that points to that yet.
> 
> I hope this bit of rambling helps you guys understand the direction I'm trying to head. Until next time!


	3. The Hidden Wing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, the response from everyone really warmed my heart. 17 comment threads, 115 kudos, and 16 public bookmarks for 2 chapters, like damn. You guys are generous. But it’s good, ‘cause it motivates me to write faster and more. I’m like a greedy toddler. More, more kudos and comments hehe
> 
> Chapter four has been fully plotted, and I’ve started on chapter five. I have some assignments due soon, so chapter four won’t follow the “every three days” release schedule I’ve been adhering to this week. But it still should be relatively quick. (here’s to me jinxing myself)

“Ah, you sure you don’t want to hang out in the library? There are couches we can sleep on once Nighttime comes.” Hands on her hips, Akamatsu cut a reluctant figure, concern flashing in her eyes. 

Shuichi was hardly surprised she’d be the one knocking on his classroom door. Out of everyone in the group, she seemed the most likely to step into the position of leader, the glue that held them all together. She had been the one who proposed that everyone escape together as well. It made her someone deserving of praise.

_And my opponent_ . He nodded, making a show of paying attention to her words. _If she succeeds, I’m done for._

“I appreciate the offer, Akamatsu-san. But I, uh, s-snore very loud… I wouldn’t want to keep everyone up.” He nearly cringed at the pathetic excuse. 

Luckily, Akamatsu either didn’t appear to notice or was too tactful to bring it up. “If you say so… But please, you can call me Kaede.”

“Ah… okay. K-Kaede-san.”

Kaede broke into a smile, before concern painted her face once more. She twiddled her thumbs. “What about Ouma-san? Is he sleeping here too?”

“Ouma-kun does his own thing,” he said. “Although… if he decides to stay here for the night, I could hardly kick him out. We both started out here, so it’s as much his classroom as it is mine.”

“I see. Well, if you ever change your mind, Saihara, you know where to find me.” Then she was gone.

A few minutes before 10 pm, Shuichi double-checked the lock. After confirming that it indeed worked, he approached Kokichi, who stood right underneath the vent tapping his foot. 

“Hurry up and give me a boost, slowpoke!”

A wave of surprise washed over Shuichi at how normal lifting the other boy onto his shoulders had become. It helped that he didn’t weigh much. In no time at all, Kokichi removed the grill, letting it drop to the floor. The clang proved loud, but thanks to everyone camping out in the library, it went unheard by the rest.

Kokichi pulled himself into the vent. Yanked Shuichi up.

They crawled.

It had not occurred to Shuichi the first time they had traversed the ventilation system, but there were no cameras within. Which meant their movements weren’t being monitored at the moment. He wasn’t naive enough to think the only surveillance system existed in their room. Even if they wouldn’t be penalized for wandering the halls at night, he’d rather not have eyes tracking him wherever he went.

As they moved, Shuichi made a mental note of each turn they took. A while later, Kokichi finally stopped at a grill. Opened it. He scanned the area, looking for any cameras. To their luck, there was only one and it was powered off. They hopped down one after the other.

Now that they stood on the ground, Shuichi had a better view of the place. Unlike where they had started, this wasn’t a classroom. In fact, it appeared to be an infirmary of some sort. Sharp, jarring lights hung from the ceiling, casting an ugly glow on everything below. The walls a bright, blinding white. Against them leaned a variety of dusty medicine cabinets, the glass display smudged with a greasy, unknown substance. Still, Shuichi could make out a few pill bottles within and an unopened package of bandage.

A bed lay in the corner, the gaudy yellow curtains drawn. 

“We should still be on the sixteenth floor,” he said. “This must be a hidden wing. Our starting room is probably close by.”

The other oohed and ahhed, before ransacking the cabinets. A blink, and Shuichi followed suit, taking as much as he could fit in his pockets.

“Not too bad of a haul, if I do say so myself,” said Kokichi.

With their combined efforts, they were able to gather a small pill bottle with four capsules of antipyretics, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and a package with a roll of bandage. Other than that, nothing else of use that they could see. Most of the medicine had expired.

Time to check the hall.

Kokichi pushed the door slightly ajar. Careful not to make a sound, both boys stepped foot into the hallway. 

Unlike the brightly-lit infirmary, darkness swallowed up the area. Thanks to the opened door behind them, they were able to make out a few things in the distance, despite the blurry silhouettes. At one end of the hallway stood a single, nondescript door. Contrary to the other wing, there wasn’t an elevator at the other end. But a door to a stairway proved a different story.

“Looks like it locks from the outside. I guess it’s time to show off in front of Saihara-chan~” From who knew where, Kokichi pulled out a bobby pin. He went to work. That he could lockpick came as a pleasant surprise to Shuichi, but in hindsight he should have expected it. 

The _clinks_ as Kokichi did his magic calmed his heart. Any second now, and the door would open. They could head to the next floor. Shuichi tilted his head back, his eyes shut. His fingers shook. He bit his lip. _Just a bit more._

An otherworldly scream tore through the air.

The moment he whipped his head back, a hulking figure came into view. It stood at the opposite end of the hallway, just beyond the touch of the infirmary lights. But even without that luxury, Shuichi could still make out a few details. Wide as it was tall. Gleaming red eye. A high-pitched, somewhat-mechanical voice. 

Just as the creature prepared for a charge, the lock clicked, and Kokichi yanked the dumbstruck Shuichi into the stairwell.

The slam of a door.

Almost as if on autopilot, they grabbed onto the vertical door handle, pulling it toward them. As though just that would save their hides. Shuichi braced himself for the barrage that was to come. But after moments of nothing, he opened the eyes he did not realize had been screwed tight.

The other boy pressed his ear to the metal door. A moment passed, and he moved away from it.

They shared a look, still gasping for air and adrenaline still coursing through their veins. And then they giggled.

But what joy they had been able to cultivate vanished the next second. Because thick metal bars blocked the flight of stairs down. 

“Saihara-chan.”

He couldn’t think; the world around him seemed to undergo a strange transformation, a thick, viscous layer of something filtering his vision—

“Hello, earth to Saihara-chan…”

It were as if Shuichi had submerged underwater, the hopelessness drowning him, squeezing out whatever air was left in his lungs—

“SAIHARA-CHAN!” 

“Huh?!”

“Geez, am I boring you that much or what? I called out for you a hundred times!”

“W-what? Oh, I’m sorry, I just…” He stared at the metal bars blocking their way out, like just that was enough to convey his swirling thoughts. “The stairs…”

Kokichi fell silent. He stared at him, eyes seeming to peer into his soul. Then he waved dismissively. “Geez, and I thought you were worried about something that’s _actually_ dire.”

“How could you say that, Ouma-kun?” Shuichi curled his hands into fists, shaking. “What we thought was our way out was just a huge joke. I... I...” 

“Relax. Why are you so stiff? This is a good start,” said Kokichi. “At least we know where to go from here.”

“Well unless we find a saw or something, we won’t be able to get through the bars.”

Out of the blue, Kokichi’s face brightened. “Wow, Saihara-chan. Taking that emo hat away from you was the right move. You’re waaaay more assertive now!”

“Ahh… No…”

“I think that thing is gone. I heard it move away from the door. Like it was going toward the other end of the hall… Boo!”

Shuichi yelped. The other boy threw his head back, giggling.

Shortly after, Kokichi pushed the door open just a slit. Peeked through. Then he waved behind him as he pushed the door some more and entered the hall. 

It was just as they had left it.

The door to the infirmary still stood open, the sharp light flooding a section of the hallway. The red-eyed monster seemed to have vanished out of thin air.

Deadly silent.

Now that the danger had hidden itself, Shuichi had half a mind to search the other rooms. Before he could voice his thoughts, however, Kokichi said, “Maybe we should head back.”

That surprised him. Shuichi eyed the other boy curiously, attempting to pick him apart. “...I would have thought you’d be throwing a tantrum to stay,” he quipped.

Kokichi met his stare and threw on an offended expression. “How rude! I’m not a kid! Why would I throw a tantrum?”

“So… you wouldn’t?”

“Nishishi! I would! Buuuut I really do think we should leave now. Let’s just say I’ve got a sixth sense. Like an Ultimate Clairvoyant! I’m correct 30% of the time!”

_Isn’t that… quite bad?_ But Shuichi just nodded and followed Kokichi back to the infirmary. _I should trust his guts. He’s probably the type that doesn’t die easily._

The door clicked as it closed behind them. Instead of moving straight for the vent, Kokichi reached the infirmary bed in long, quick strides. In one fluid motion, he ripped the blankets off. Folded them neatly. “Saihara-chan, can you grab the pillow?”

“Um, sure.”

It proved a bit difficult moving through the vents with the items, but they made do. Once they had reached their classroom, the shorter boy threw their haul from the infirmary into a locker. Afterward, he made a beeline toward a corner of the room. Laid one of the blankets down to form a makeshift bed.

He patted the spot next to him. “Put the pillow down here, Mister Detective! Let’s snuggle up and cuddle~”

Shaking his head in helplessness, Shuichi approached him. Once he had pulled the second blanket over himself, he closed his eyes, making sure their bodies didn’t touch.

As soon as he was about to drift off in slumber, his ears caught a rustle. So light, that he almost thought he had dreamt it. Pushing it to the back of his mind, Shuichi once again began to doze off.

“Psst Saihara-chan.”

Strange. He could have sworn someone called out his name. A wrinkle appeared between his brows.

“Are you awake?”

“Ngh… Ouma-kun…? What’s wrong? Can you not fall asleep?”

“What do you mean? I’m asleep right now.”

Shuichi decided not to respond.

“Okay, I lied. I’m wide awake. But only because you woke me up, okay?”

“...Right.”

“I’m not nervous. I’m definitely not afraid of what’s going to happen. Nuh uh.”

Yet, Shuichi caught a trace of a tremble in the other party’s voice.

“I’m going to get out of here. You can come too, of course. I don’t mind carrying extra baggage if it’s only one person.”

At this point, the sleepiness that had plagued Shuichi earlier disappeared in a hint of smoke. He turned over to face Kokichi.

Kokichi’s eyes gleamed in the darkness. It was hard to discern the deep violets, but at the very least, Shuichi could tell he was staring at him. The naked uncertainty proved sobering. Yet…

Shuichi reached out. Held his hand.

The galaxy of his face stilled.

The calluses still remained. Of course they had. “I won’t be baggage,” said Shuichi, his voice a hint above whisper, yet perhaps proved loud and clear in the other boy’s ears. “We’re a… team, aren’t we?”

Silence stretched between them. But amidst it all was an unspoken agreement.

The next day, they learned first-hand the punishment for sleeping outside the dorms.

Symptoms of a common cold.

“Eh, could be worse,” said Kokichi, blowing his nose into his sleeve. 

A grimace vanished as quick as it had appeared on Shuichi’s face. “How did they even do this?”

“Maybe they spread the virus through the vents,” said Kokichi, venturing a guess. “Who cares for now. Let’s go back to the hidden wing.”

“We need to show our faces to the others first though. So they won’t worry.” Or get suspicious, was left unspoken.

Kokichi shrugged.

“Ah.” Shuichi’s eyes widened a fraction. “Looks like we completed the first Quest.” Sure enough, a notification counter flashed in the corner of his MonoWatch screen when he turned the screen on. A tap, and it revealed the following message:

> ☆Quest Complete!☆
> 
> The Sheep have been deprived of their hard work, sending them into a slight state of hunger and despair.
> 
> You have gained 100 Monokuma Credits!

He pursed his lips. Swiped away from the message. “It’s… 7:14am. We have some time before ‘Rise and Shine.’ Are you sure you don’t want to sleep some more?”

“What does it matter if we follow the schedule or not? Not like we’d get punished as the eeevil Wolves!”

They folded up their blankets and pillows and Shuichi stored them neatly in a locker.

“What if… people start asking to see our room? We’ve got a hole in the wall with all those monitors,” he said, worried.

“Hmmmm. We can buy a lock from the vending machine.”

“But that’ll just look even more suspicious!”

“I wonder~”

Then he skipped to one of the desks. At first, Shuichi was unsure what he was doing, but after studying his actions, realization struck him. _He’s looking for notebooks. But why?_

The answer revealed itself shortly: Kokichi ripped the pages out.

“What are you doing?”

“Nishishi! You’ll see!”

Indeed he would. Kokichi wasted no time in taping the loose sheets together, forming a makeshift screen. He taped the top end right above the hole to the secret room, letting the bottom end hang.

“Where did you even find the tape?”

“It’s hospital tape! I nicked it from the infirmary. If anyone ever asks why this is here, we can just say we went a bit overboard when looking for tokens."

Just as Shuichi’s about to say something, a scream broke out in the hall. In the blink of an eye, they ran outside.

A crowd of people gathered right under the security camera aiming at the elevator. From where he stood, Shuichi could not determine the cause for the congregation. However, with each step he took and the longer he studied the body language of those before him, the further his heart dropped. Halfway there, a foul odor smacked him in the face, so much so that he gagged. 

“Saihara! L-look!”

The crowd parted.

Tojo Kirumi lay face flat on the ground, umoving. Next to her head is a pebble. A pool of yellow liquid surrounded her, making for a rather pitiful appearance. The stench was the strongest here. It stung his eyes, tears clinging to his long lashes.

“Maaan, you guys sure act fast, don’t ya?”

Everyone turned around to see Monokuma grinning at them. 

“It’s not even time for breakfast yet! And I even gave you guys a non-killing option to graduate. Do you really like to kill so much?”

“N-no, you’re wrong!” shouted Kaede. Her whole body shook as she gritted her teeth.

“Oh reaaally? Then what do we have here?”

“This…”

“Upupupu! Wow, this is such a riot! You kids say you wanna escape together, but one of you’s already dead the next day! Well! I don’t blame ya. Staying here with nothing to do is bound to drive anyone nuts.”

A look of rage swept through Momota’s visage. “What the hell?! You eavesdropped on us?”

“Eh, wasn’t it obvious I would? What did you think the cameras were for? Decoration?”

“...You’re wrong. There’s no way someone would kill anyone here…” Shirogane appeared on the verge of collapse. 

“Ohhh! How about this? I’ll give you guys a _super-duper special_ quest as a celebration!”

Immediately, each of their MonoWatches lit up.

> ☆Super-Duper Special Quest☆
> 
> Correctly determine the culprit and cause of death of the Ultimate Maid, Tojo Kirumi.
> 
> Reward upon completion: A clue about the secret to this game.
> 
> Time Limit: 2 hours.
> 
> Hint: Check the Monokuma Files

  
  


> ☆Monokuma Files☆
> 
> CASE 01:
> 
> The victim is Tojo Kirumi.
> 
> The time of death is estimated to be around 6:00 am.
> 
> The corpse was found face-down in the hallway of the sixteenth floor, under the security camera aimed at the elevator, at 7:22 am.
> 
> The victim died in the same spot where her corpse was found.
> 
> There is an injury on her forehead that is in line with blunt trauma. The pupils are constricted, the muscles are consistent with extended spasming, and the underwear is soiled.

Everyone stood there, stunned at how light of a manner Monokuma had treated this.

_It can't be..._ Shuichi bit his lip. He tried to ignore the ringing in his ears. The nausea threatening to empty out his already-empty stomach.

His hands trembled, and he locked them together to stop the shaking. He looked up at the camera. The world seemed to fall in tones of grey.

If his assumption were correct…

“How could you?! You!! Making light of someone’s death!” roared Chabashira. Fortunately, Gonta was quick-witted enough to hold her back from attacking Monokuma.

“Let me at him!!”

“Please Chabashira-san! You’ll be punished if you hurt him!”

“Gonta not want to fight! Want peace!”

“Shut up, you muscle-brained degenerate male!!” But her spirit wasn’t as strong as before, face crumpling into tears.

“You killed her… You killed her, you fucking bear!”

“ _I_ didn’t kill anyone! I’m an innocent party being framed.” Monokuma had the audacity to look offended. “Maybe if you guys weren’t sinners in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Does this mean we can go down a floor now?”

At that moment, silence. The gazes of everyone converged on Kokichi, some carrying shock, others incredulity. Still others held a calculative gleam.

But rage triumphed in the end.

“How could you say that?! Our friend has just DIED!”

“H-he’s got a point though…”

“So can we go down or not?” continued Kokichi, ignoring the heated glares of the others. “You said we can descend to the next floor as long as someone dies. Well, would you look at that? Someone’s dead!”

Monokuma picked his ears. “Ehhh. You’ve got two hours to this quest. Complete it or not, I don’t really care, and then we’ll talk more about it later.” He glanced at his nonexistent watch. “Ah! Would you look at the time! I’m outta here. Upupupu!”

With that, the rest of the crowd fell apart. Although they had not been together for long, they had formed a sense of camaraderie in such a terrifying, unnerving situation. And even more so now.

“I think I’m going to be sick.” That was the only warning before Momota Kaito emptied his stomach of bile and gastric juices onto the floor.

Following a period of strained silence, the group of teenagers regained a portion of their calm.

“So…” Korekiyo’s smooth voice traveled through the hall. “The question remains: will we actually try to complete this quest?” 

“It feels like... an act of disrespect against Tojo-san,” said Yumeno.

“Gonta agrees!”

“But we can’t just let the murderer get away with it either,” Harukawa said.

“How are you so sure there’s a killer?”

At the sound of those words, everyone turned to the speaker in question. A moment later, irritation clouded most of their faces.

“What do you mean, Ouma-san?” asked Kaede, frowning. “If no one k-killed her, then how did Tojo-san die?”

“Well, I wonder. Maybe she tripped and fell over. Oh! And then she hit her head on the ground and died!”

“What the fuck, you little shit? So you’re blaming this on Tojo-san?!”

“I’m just throwing out an idea. Better than what you’ve been doing, Mister vomit-out-my-brains.”

“Enough.” Amami stepped forward. “Everyone settle down. This is getting us nowhere.” 

That seemed to do the trick. At least Kokichi and Momota weren’t at each other’s throats anymore.

“I can’t believe it. First we fail that stupid quest so we can’t eat today, and now this.” 

“Are you seriously thinking about food at a time like this?”

“Ah, Harukawa, I just mean that we won’t be able to investigate on an empty stomach.”

Such an excuse didn’t stop her from glaring at Momota, though.

“Come on guys! We need to take this seriously. Both for Tojo-san’s justice and that clue about a secret to this game.”

“A c-clue?!”

“Akamatsu is right,” said Amami. “Let’s all get down to this.”

“Oh, oh! If Amami-chan says so, then I’m in too! Right, Saihara-chan?”

Hearing his name, Shuichi instantly looked up. “Huh? Uh…”

“Looks like Saihara-chan needs a break,” said Kokichi, a thoughtful look to his eyes.

He shook his head. “No… I’m alright. I was just thinking.” _Should I tell them?_ He glanced at the security camera from his peripheral vision. _But if there’s suspicion among them, someone might try to escape on their own._

“Saihara?”

“Yes, um, I’m here.” He stared down the crowd. Sucked in a deep breath. “I don’t think there was a murderer.”

Silence.

Then, Kaito chuckled, albeit in a forced manner. “You… You’re joking right? My Sidekick wouldn’t actually suspect the victim, right?”

“Momota-san…”

“Why are you siding with that cretin?!”

“What? I’m not siding with anyone, Momota-san. Please… listen to what I have to say.” Shuichi placed a hand on his chin. “I don’t think the cause of death is blunt trauma to the head. But I do agree with Ouma-kun about one thing. I do think she hit her head on the ground.”

“But… how? There’s nothing to trip on in the hallway and Tojo-san’s shoes are slip-on.”

“Don’t her shoes have laces?”

“Those are for show,” said Shirogane. “I know because I had the same conversation with her in the solarium yesterday. I was interested because her shoes are an exact replica of Tomoko-chan’s in ‘The Demon King Only Loves Me♡,’ the award-winning anime from last year.”

“I don’t mean she fell by tripping,” said Shuichi. “Rather… First, let’s address the smell in this hallway.”

“Smells like shit!” chirped Kokichi.

“Thanks for the image. I'm as dry as the Sahara Desert now,” Iruma said.

“The Monokuma Files say that her… ahem, are soiled.” Pink dusted Kiibo’s cheeks. How that was possible was anyone’s guess.

“Her pupils are constricted. Her muscles are consistent with convulsions. None of these specifically point to death by blunt trauma to the head. If I’m correct…” He stepped over the corpse and lifted her wrist with the MonoWatch. “Yeah. There’s an injection mark, alright.”

Hoshi whistled.

“So she died from the Happy Cubs Neurotoxin? But why? She didn’t break any rules!”

“Ehhh. Not so sure about that.” Kokichi shrugged. “The Monokuma Files said the approximate time of death is 6:00 am. Looks like someone was up in the hallway all sneaky during ‘Nighttime.’ Not to mention,” he pointed to the camera above, “she died right underneath this camera. Doesn’t that seem suspicious?”

“What do you mean? Gonta cannot understand.”

“You don’t understand a lot of things, do you, ya big oaf?”

“Hey! Don’t bully Gonta-san!”

“Whaaatever.”

Kaede intervened. “I think what Ouma-san is trying to say is that Tojo-san broke the rule about damaging the security cameras.”

“Only one way to find out.” 

With the help of Gonta, Amami was able to get a close-up look at the camera in question. “Looks like the glass is cracked. It’s undetectable unless you’re this close, though.”

“How did she crack it?”

Shuichi picked up the pebble by Tojo’s silver locks. “Probably by using this…”

“But why? Why would she do that?” asked Yumeno amidst her tears.

“I think Tojo-san was experimenting.” Kaede bowed her head, unable to contain her grief. “She mentioned yesterday how it’s better to know what the punishment was for breaking the rules. She must have been testing it out.” Her voice cracked. “She did this for us.”

The hall stood silent once more.

“Why is it death? She only broke two rules, didn’t she? Why didn’t that bear tell us anything?!”

“Not exactly.”

“What do you mean, Amami-san?”

Amami faced the crowd. “Like Ouma said, the time of death is approximately 6:00 am. Tojo-san cracked the camera’s glass with a pebble. And then sleeping outside of the dorms. That’s three rules she broke.”

“This still doesn’t explain how she died.” Momota chewed his lip.

The gears in his brain spun overdrive. Shuichi glanced at his fellow Wolf, before saying, “We deduced her death was caused by the neurotoxin. In order to determine _how_ she died, we have to understand how neurotoxins work. I’m not a doctor but… before I was abducted, I helped my uncle with his cases. And I had once come across a murder where the murder weapon was coated in a neurotoxin.” He paused, taking in the expressions of everyone. “What I learned was… they’re destructive to the nervous tissue. And some of the symptoms are… the loss of control of bodily functions, pupil constriction, and convulsions. Convulsions eventually lead to… death by asphyxia.” 

The rest of the investigation was a blur. Nausea had once again wracked his body and he had to excuse himself.

Hidden in the minor comfort of his classroom, Shuichi threw himself in a corner and crumpled into a ball.

The click of a lock. Kokichi made his way toward him, the _pita pat_ of his shoes echoing in the surrounding space.

Head cradled in his hands, Shuichi screwed his eyes tight. He could taste the bitter tang of bile from the back of his throat.

The room was quiet, save for Shuichi’s rough, jagged breathing.

“I think we should show them the monitors.”

And there went the elephant in the room.

At first, not a word left both of their lips. But then, Kokichi frowned. “No way.”

“They deserve to know. I know we can’t tell them about the Wolves and us, but... withholding such important information could kill them. You saw what happened with Tojo-san.” The corners of his eyes grew damp. “Maybe… maybe if we told her the surveillance monitors were in our room she wouldn’t have tried to inspect the cameras.” _And died_ , thought Shuichi. _She wouldn’t have died._

“Maybe. Maybe not. We’ll never know now, would we? Since she’s already dead.” 

Horrified by his words, Shuichi whipped his head up.

Lion’s gaze. That was all he could think of to properly describe the sight before him. Kokichi’s stare pierced through him, deep and profound, swirling with a myriad of emotions Shuichi couldn’t for the life of him put into words. He almost felt ashamed. As if he didn’t deserve to see this. However, he quickly quelled the notion.

“If we tell them about the surveillance system, who are they going to suspect first, huh? Let me give you a clue. Us! They’ll think we’re the masterminds or something. I mean, this is some damning stuff, you know? Even though they have it in their heads that the watch killed Tojo, their doubts and suspicions against us wouldn’t disappear overnight. It’ll be seared into their brains, never to be forgotten.” He dropped to a crouch in front of Shuichi. “Don’t forget, we’re Team Wolf. If any of them wisen up and realize they’ve got traitors in their mix—and that it’s _us_ —we’re done for. Gonezo. You probably won’t even see our corpses by the end of it.

“We need to blend in with the Sheep,” said Kokichi, biting the nail to his thumb. “So don’t be burdened by your guilt. And don’t hold it all in. It’s okay to cry.” _The faster we figure a way out, the less people would have to die._

Shuichi just stared at him, unable to utter a word.

Such a sight caused a grin to spread across Kokichi’s lips, one that was devilish, borderline-impossible by human standards. “Why are we trying so hard anyway? We just need to pass the ten quizzes and take the Final Exam. Then we’ll be home free.”

Shuichi shook his head, brows furrowing. “B-but if we all graduate together, that would mean we all escaped together... You and I will die.”

“Exactly! Keep it in your head that we’d die if we all left together. I was kinda miffed that you told them about the injection, though. If they all thought someone among them was a killer, the more likely one of them will try to escape on their own. We’d lose our necks if they all escape, but they’d be fine if we leave first!”

Somehow, Shuichi had his doubts. What if the Sheep faced death if the Wolves won? But immediately after that thought, he shook his head. _If that were the case, the others would have appeared more stressed earlier. It’s human nature to distrust others._

He cleared his throat. “But didn’t you follow up hinting about the rules being broken?”

“Well, yeah! We’re teammates after all.” A smile blossomed on Kokichi’s lips, small and somewhat soft. “Plus, this way it’s waaay more interesting. A clue about the game's secret… Who wouldn't want to know?"

* * *

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the first death has occured… I mean, you guys should have already known this would happen with the tags. Sorry to all the Tojo Kirumi fans out there!
> 
> And we haven’t even gotten to the first Quiz yet XD…
> 
> Anyway, until next time!
> 
> P.S. Catch me as "sleepchaser" in Chrysanthemum Garden's [discord server](https://discord.gg/Q2BxzM3) if you wana talk.
> 
> I'm under the "Translators" tab. We're a bunch of fujos who translate BL from JPN and CN novels.


	4. Clue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back guys. Phew, the response for chapter three was incredible again. 157 kudos, 26 comment threads, and 24 public bookmarks. It’s super encouraging and makes me want to write more. So keep commenting and kudoing. Yes, I am a kudo whore. 

The moment the class bell rang, the sight of students filtering into the classrooms proved one that could only exist in the realm of dreams: all sense of normalcy had long since vanished. Soon after, Monokuma’s upbeat yet eerie voice blasted from the loudspeaker. “Ahem, ahem. Attention all students! Our first presentation will be held in the solarium! Don’t be late!” 

By the time Shuichi and Kokichi had arrived, there were already people present. 

In the middle of the room, fifteen chairs and an armchair tufted velvet formed a neat circle. Rather than sitting on the armchair like a normal person, Monokuma’s lying horizontally, smoking a pipe. 

_Those chairs hadn’t been there earlier._ Shuichi drew his brows together. _Just where did they come from?_

“Sooo. Did you find out who the culprit was? How the victim died?”

“You led us on, Monokuma!” shouted Momota. His purple blazer billowed from an unseen draft. “You said there was a killer!”

“Whaaat? If there wasn’t a killer, then how did that girl die?”

“From the Happy Cubs Neurotoxin! Tojo’s been super naughty!” 

“What Iruma-san means is, Tojo-san broke three rules. First, she slept outside of the dormitory. Second, she was out in the hallways during Nighttime. And finally, she damaged a security camera,” said Kaede, sticking out a finger for every rule she listed.

“The combination of three broken rules at the same time triggered the MonoWatch to inject the neurotoxin,” said Amami.

“Symptoms of it are constricted pupils, extended convulsions, and loss of control of b-bodily functions…” Kiibo choked out.

“And convulsions can lead to death by asphyxia.” 

“So that means, no one murdered Tojo-san. She accidentally caused her own death.”

_There._ Shuichi sucked in a breath. _Now let’s see how he deals with this._

“Awww man! You guys actually got it right.” Monokuma sank into his seat, the picture of dejection. Yet in the blink of an eye, he bounced back up as if the gloom from before had never existed. “Okay, fine. Go ask your question.”

“Q-question?”

“Didn’t I say I would give you a clue? A secret to this game? How am I supposed to do that if you don’t ask me a question?!”

“Can’t you just… tell us something?”

“Yeah! How the hell are we supposed to know what to ask? We know nothing to begin with!”

“...Is that your question?”

“W-what? NO!”

“Alright, alright,” said Monokuma, waving dismissively at the blubbering mess that was Momota. “Since none of you have got _any_ imagination, I’ll just tell you this: this game is meant for some people. The rest of you are just collateral damage!”

“Huh?!”

“That’s all I’m gonna say! Think of it what you will. Upupupu!”

“Wait, you’re forgetting something. Power the elevator so we can go down a floor.”

Everyone turned to Kokichi.

Everyone but Shuichi. To his shock, Monokuma’s lips twisted into a snarl, body shaking from what could be assumed as rage. If he hadn’t known what this bear was capable of, he would have found the sight slightly comical. 

“You...cheaters! Cheater! Cheater! Cheater! No way am I letting you guys go! She got herself killed by breaking the rules! Naughty, naughty sinners!” His body swelled, as if about to burst. “Is what I’d like to say,” said Monokuma, transitioning from enraged to nonchalant in mere moments.

“Huh?”

“What? So you want to be stuck here with a rotting corpse? Not that I mind. Just say the word and I’ll grant your wish!”

“No! Please allow us to descend to the next floor!” Shirogane’s eyes quivered with panic.

“Yeah, yeah. BUT, since someone died by breaking the rules, there’s gonna be a time penalty. Seven days! After that, I’ll naturally power the elevator and unlock the option to the fifteenth floor.”

“S-seven days…” Iruma trembled, a visible sheen of sweat on her forehead. “What about T-tojo? She… It’s gonna stink you know?! Like real gross, worse than dick-cheese kind of stink!”

“I-Iruma-san!”

“W-what? It’s true, isn’t it? Hey, Monokuma? Can’t you just shorten the penalty?”

“No can do! I’ll be a teeerrible teacher if I don’t discipline my students well!”

No matter how they begged, Monokuma wouldn’t budge. Finally, they watched as the bear once again blinked out of existence.

A growl reverberated throughout the hall.

“S-sorry…” said Momota. “I haven’t had anything since yesterday morning.”

“Well, hopefully today’s Homework will come soon,” said Shirogane reassuringly.

No one mentioned Monokuma’s “clue.” Perhaps they were too shocked by everything that had just occurred. Or maybe, they were each too occupied pondering what it meant.

Shuichi’s heart proved in a chaotic state. _The ‘some people’_ _should be Kokichi and I, right? And the sheep are the collateral damage?_

It was the most likely conclusion with what he currently knew. Yet for some reason, he had the faint impression there was more to it.

He glanced at Kokichi. At this moment, the other boy stood at the opposite side of the library, folding paper flowers with the others. Unexpectedly, he was so compliant right now.

Everyone had come to the decision to honor Tojo’s corpse. But where could they bury or place her? The location that seemed the most suitable was her starting classroom. Now, she lay supine, arms clasped above her chest. White paper flowers framed her hair, as though it were a wreath of sorts. If it weren’t for the stench, she would seem merely asleep, able to rouse at a moment’s notice.

Kokichi and the rest brought the last batch of flowers to the room. And shortly after, they stepped out, shutting the door.

Many thoughts plagued the minds of the students. Perhaps most prevalent was how to descend a floor as soon as possible. Staying with a decomposing corpse for another week was out of the question.

Coupled with the cold-like symptoms, the students were far from a good mood. While they had all confirmed the accidental nature of her death, some people were growing suspicious for other reasons. 

One such person was Korekiyo.

“I regret to say this, but I will be taking my meals and rest alone from now on.”

“Huh? Why Korekiyo-san?”

“Did Gonta do something bad? Sorry! Gonta try to be gentlema—ACHOO!” The bespectacled youth nearly fell over from the force of his sneeze. Out of everyone, he seemed to be the most affected by Rule 2’s punishment. 

Yonaga handed him a tissue from who knew where, and he thanked her profusely, the little tissue almost seeming comical in his large hands.

“The human heart is fickle. It is also self-centered. The environment this game produces is a breeding ground for suspicion. As it is, I cannot guarantee that some of you are not withholding information from the rest. So I cannot trust you.”

“What do you mean?” asked Momota. “What ‘withholding information?’” 

“It is nothing you should concern yourself with. But as we are members of the same species, I will advise you once: that bear is keeping mechanics of the game from us. I refuse to play a game where the rules are not explicitly stated.”

“...You’re talking about things like ‘Homework,’ right?” said Amami, frowning. “I admit it troubled me as well when the first Homework popped up, since back then Monokuma had just explained the game mechanics and rules.” He took a step forward as if trying to reach out to Korekiyo with just his presence. “But just this much shouldn’t be enough to assume people are withholding information. Or that there are even any more mechanics to the game.”

“Actually… I think he’s got a point.” 

The crowd turned to Hoshi. 

“I mean, I don’t really care, since I’ve got nothing to live for anyway. But I felt like I should at least mention that clue Monokuma told us earlier.”

“‘This game is meant for some people. The rest of you are just collateral damage,’” said Kiibo.

“Collateral damage? Like we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Is that what he meant?” asked Harukawa, her voice growing shriller by the second.

“No way…”

“Do you guys really think this?” asked Kaede, summoning the attention of everyone. “I think Monokuma is just twisting the truth to cause us to suspect each other. Even if there _are_ people who are… _different_ for a lack of a better term, how do you know they won’t work alongside us? I choose to believe in them.”

The words stabbed into Shuichi’s heart like knives. He strived his best not to look at her, the rest of the discussion bleeding grey, melding into the backdrop.

* * *

  
  
  
Amidst the grief and uncertainty, something hopeful finally occurred. 

“I got it! I fucking got it! Bow down to this gorgeous genius!”

“Wow Iruma-san! That’s incredible!”

“Ehehe.”

Next to Iruma, the buttons of the elevator panel glowed. The hearts of everyone thumped with joy, and Iruma flashed the onlookers a bright, infectious grin.

“What are you waiting for?” said Momota. “Let’s go down already!”

“Alright, alright, calm your titties.”

She pressed the down button.

Shuichi watched with bated breath as the numbers on the elevator indicator increased.

One, two, three… fifteen, fourteen, sixteen.

_Ding._

The elevator doors slid open… only to reveal darkness within.

“W-what going on?!”

“Where’s the car?!”

Iruma’s jaw dropped, and no matter how much she moved her lips, not a word escaped.

In a flash, Chabashira thrust her finger at the up button. And she jabbed it again. And again.

“What the hell! It’s not coming!”

“Is the power off?”

“Can’t you see the buttons glowing?!”

The blank black strip underneath the buttons lit up.

INCORRECT PASSAGE KEY.

“What the hell does that mean…?”

“Well, whatever it is, we can’t go down.”

“I-I…” Iruma stared at the rest of the group, eyes wide and lost. “I’m so sorry guys…” she said, voice growing softer by the second until it could no longer be heard.

Kaede reached out first. “You’ve done a great job. It’s not your fault.” She pointed to the empty elevator shaft. “I mean, it’s a great start, right? At least we got the doors open and the whole thing powered. We just need to get a pass key, or whatever.”

“Yeah! Or fake one."

"We are close,” said Yonaga. “Atua will lead us to the light!”

“You’ve already gotten us halfway there, Iruma-san.” Amami flashed her a soft smile. “We believe in you. Just take a break for now, and we can continue again later.”

At that moment, all fifteen MonoWatches lit up.

> ☆Homework☆ [Rank E]
> 
> How often are Quizzes given out?
> 
> Failure: None

Luckily, they were able to breeze through the Homework again. Everyone gained 5 credits. It was enough to stave off the hunger for now, if only barely.

What’s left unspoken was the fear of starvation. None of them, besides the wolves, had had a full meal since the day before yesterday. 

The guilt would have driven lesser men to prayer. Shuichi was not, and never had been, religious. However, as he stood there, watching the pale, fatigue-ridden faces of the rest, to say he wasn’t affected would be a lie. His fingers twitched. But before he could utter a word, he caught Kokichi’s stare. Deep and penetrating. He locked his hands together and left for the currently empty library.

When the door shut behind him, Shuichi could finally breathe again. The stillness calmed him. _I can’t give them food._ He squeezed his interlocked hands together, the faint pain serving as an anchor. _They’ll wonder where I got the credits from. But if I don’t share some food soon, some of them might—_

A long sigh. Shuichi shifted his gaze to the bright chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling. _Ouma-kun definitely wouldn’t feed them. From now on, we should have our meals in secret._

* * *

  
  
  
In the evening, Kokichi found him and led him to the solarium. Apart from the two, the room was devoid of people. 

“Everyone seems super hungry, don’t they?”

At the sound of those words, Shuichi stilled, before relaxing within moments. “You don’t have to worry,” he said.

The shorter boy eyed him, violet orbs swirling with emotions Shuichi could not quite put into words. After a stretch of silence, a smirk slid its way across Kokichi’s lips. “So the kitten is learning.”

“...What did you want to talk about?”

Tears welled in Kokichi’s eyes, threatening to spill. “What, so I can’t just hang out with my beloved Saihara-chan without wanting anything?”

“Ah, n-no, that’s not what I meant—”

“Nishishi! Got you again!”

Shuichi sighed, shaking his head. The tears of the other boy seemed to have vanished from thin air. “Ouma-kun, can you please get to the point?”

“Fine, fine. I just wanted to discuss what we should spend our credits on. ‘Cause you and I both know food isn’t the only thing sold in that vending machine.” The grin on Kokichi’s face took on a sinister shade. But only for a moment.

They approached the vending machine. Within were the usual assortment of packaged food and miscellaneous items. But upon closer inspection, Shuichi’s eyes widened.

Up on the top shelf, all the way to the right.

A card.

And not just any card.

“Is that…?”

“Yep!” chirped Kokichi. “That’s the passage key for the 16th to 15th floor.”

It almost seemed like fate. Since it was all the way where it was, the item had been inconspicuous. Not to mention, Kokichi had ripped off the “Daily Deals” sticker earlier, making it even less eye catching.

“We definitely need that passage key.”

“You sure?”

“Unless you find a saw somewhere, or want to wait another week, we’re going to need it to reach the fifteenth floor.” 

“Uh, you better not be thinking of what I’m thinking.”

“And… what is that?”

“You want to share it with the rest. Hey, don’t look at me like that. You’re as easy to read as an open book. But have you even thought what would happen if you came out like a hero?”

Not a word left Shuichi’s lips.

“People are going to start to rely on you. They’re gonna expect you to solve things for them. To lead them. Then where would that leave us?”

Shuichi’s heart raced. “Let’s say you’re right… So what? Are you going to stop me?”

“Nope!”

A wave of relief washed over Shuichi.

“But then this partnership is over! Done with! Divorced!”

_Huh?_ “Why…?”

Kokichi glared at him, hot enough to burn. “Why, you ask me? I don’t need a pigheaded teammate who cares more about the opposing team’s win than our own. Do you not get it already?”

Kokichi started pacing, biting the fingernail of his thumb. “I wasn’t sure at first, but the mastermind really doesn’t pull his punches. A snap of a finger and BAM! Someone’s kicked the bucket.”

He suddenly turned to look at Shuichi. “Is it finally getting through that thick skull of yours, Saihara-chan? There are two games being played here. Wolves versus Sheep. Us versus them. The quicker you understand that, the better.”

Suddenly, the grave atmosphere vanished.

“Weeelll, it’s not like we can even get the pass key at the moment. 5,000 credits.” He whistled. “Plus, since it’s a Daily Deal, it’ll be gone by tomorrow. Who knows when it’ll appear again?” He smirked at Shuichi.

But there was something Shuichi just couldn’t wrap his head around. Suppressing the unease and frustration, he looked the other boy in the eye, as if that would help unearth the mysteries hidden in that violet gaze. The act itself proved difficult, daunting, as eye contact was something he still struggled with. “Wait… If you didn’t want me to share the passage key, then why did you even bother bringing this all up? I-I don’t understand you sometimes Ouma-kun. I want to, I really do. But…”

“Saihara-chan.”

Shuichi blinked.

Kokichi gestured him closer and he obliged.

Then, two hands squished his cheeks together.

“Urmahkoon?”

The hands stilled. But they didn’t let go.

“You know, you look a lot better like this.”

Shuichi fought the urge to roll his eyes.

“I lied! You look pretty dumb!” Kokichi finally pulled back his hands. Shoved them into his pockets. As he turned around, he muttered, “Maybe I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page. You’re a reeeal pushover sometimes, ya’know?”

Two days flew by. Other than the first time, none of the next quests were of a scavenger-hunt sort. Both a walk in the park, and strangely not team related. Everyone gained a total of 30 credits, enough to beat starvation for a while longer.

Shuichi and Kokichi attempted to explore the hidden wing both nights. Unfortunately, the other rooms were locked by keycards. There was absolutely no way to lockpick them. To Shuichi’s relief, the creature didn’t appear again either. The stairs down were still barred, but at least the door to the stairwell now opened freely. 

The two teens also checked the vent system, attempting to find their starting room. But for some reason, they were unable to locate it no matter how long they crawled. It almost felt like the vent system was alive, twisting and growing, purposely not allowing them to reach their desired destination.

Meanwhile, the first quiz quickly approached. For each day that had passed, Kokichi made it his job to write down a tally on the wall in permanent marker, even though notebooks were perfectly available. “It’s part of my aesthetic,” he said, when questioned.

To which Shuichi only shook his head.

They talked about other things. One such topic: spending less time together in public. 

“We don’t want to seem like a group,” Kokichi said. “In fact, the less we’re seen together the better. Go mingle with that piano girl. She seems like leader material and you know what that means.”

“What about you then, Ouma-kun?”

Kokichi grinned, sharp and dark. “I’ll do what I do best.”

“Lie?”

“Better watch out there, Saihara-chan! I was almost flattered.” A mischievous wink.

Shuichi couldn’t help but smile along. Even so, as they lay next to each other in a makeshift bed too small, in a classroom too cold and desolate, there existed a nagging sense of unease. “Do we have to sleep separately from now on then?”

“Saihara-chan wants to sleep with me?”

“O-Ouma-kun! T-that’s not what I meant…” _I totally set myself up for that one, didn’t I?_

“Nishishi! Well, since we can’t seem too close, I think that’s a good idea. You can keep using this room.”

“Then where will you go?”

Kokichi flashed him a look as though he were some dumb, pitiful puppy. “What are you saying? There’s a perfectly good bed in the hidden wing.”

Shuichi widened his eyes, all sense of sleepiness disappearing. “A-ah, no… That’s too dangerous. What if that thing comes back? How about this? You continue sleeping here and I’ll stay with the rest in the library starting tomorrow. That way, I can get closer to piano gir— _Kaede-san_ like you wanted.”

“Sounds good, partner!”

“...Yes. Partner…” The word felt strange coming from Shuichi’s lips. But he didn’t dislike it. “There’s something else I wanted to talk about.”

“Hmm? Well don’t leave me hanging, Mister Detective.”

Shuichi averted his gaze. Bit his lip. “We’ve only just mentioned this before, but we haven’t discussed this in more detail. How are we going to make it so the whole group doesn’t escape together? And that includes us all graduating at the same time. There are two ways I can think of from the top of my head: either leave on our own or cause at least one of the Sheep to escape before the others.

“There are ten Quizzes, with each Quiz given at the end of every week. Since the first Quiz is in two days, we theoretically have a time limit of a little over nine weeks.

“So far, only two people seem openly suspicious of the rest. Actually… I didn’t just think about using the 16th to 15th passage key for everyone. Maybe if we left it in a place where one of the more doubtful people found it… W-why are you looking at me like that?”

Galaxies spiralled in Kokichi’s eyes. He blinked, clearing his throat. “Wow Saihara-chan, you looked like a real detective just now!”

“I-I… Thanks…”

“You make a good point too. Hmmm.” Kokichi stretched out his feet. “Why not do both? Plan our escape and sow discord among the rest. You might not know, but I’m pretty much an expert in causing trouble!”

Shuichi didn’t have to be told twice.

* * *

Morning arrived before Shuichi knew it.

The rest of the students were too nervous to think about the fast-approaching Quiz. Instead, they busied themselves with escaping.

As it was, Iruma and Hoshi came up with a plan. 

“Since the elevator doors are open, shorty right here can climb the cables down to the fifteenth floor and open the floor’s doors from the inside! Such a brilliant idea only a gorgeous genius like myself can think of.”

“Are you sure, Hoshi-san?” asked Harukawa, frowning. “No offense, but you don’t seem like you can do it.”

A couple coughs spilled from his mouth. “Well before I got on death roll, I was the Ultimate Tennis Pro. As much as I hate reminiscing about the past, I can’t lie about my insane upper body strength from all that training. Plus.” He stared the crowd in the eye, his gaze devoid of life. Rubbed at the sore tip of his nose. “I doubt anyone else wants to volunteer.”

“Gonta… did. But he’s currently bedridden in the library,” said Amami.

“Poor Gonta. If only my mana was charged, then I can heal him.”

“Don’t worry Himiko-chan! Just the thought counts!”

“Hoshi-san,” said Kaede. Once the shorter boy’s gaze fell upon her, she said, “Good luck.”

A wink. And then Hoshi started his descent.

“You got this, Hoshi-san!”

“We believe in you!”

The drop was far. As Shuichi peeked over the edge, he could only see darkness and the small figure of Hoshi Ryoma climbing down the cables.

Yet he pushed down that daunting thought. It was better to not dwell on it.

Seconds ticked by. With a makeshift flashlight attached to his hat, courtesy of Iruma and Kiibo, Hoshi was able to see a small portion of wherever he faced.

The whole time, he fought back the tickling sensation in his nose. Ignored the phlegm sticking to his throat. He was fortunate the cold-like symptoms didn’t affect him that much. Recalling Gonta’s earth-shattering sneezes and growing fever, Hoshi only felt relief. 

He aimed his head low, in the direction he believed the fifthteenth floor’s doors should be. While it was still out of sight, it should appear any second now.

The cheers above were loud. They reminded him of the stands full of people, the swing of a racket, the smell of Salonpas. All of a sudden, Hoshi sneezed.

But he caught his grip at the last second. 

Shouts above, some just of his name, others asking if he were okay.

“Just peachy,” he said, heart racing. Sweat clung to his body. Hoshi paid it no mind and continued his descent when his hands slipped again.

“Ah…”

Time seemed to go by in slow motion.

Hoshi angled his face up, eyes dull with confusion and hand still outstretched toward the elevator cable.

From the sixteenth floor, it seemed like he was reaching out for them.

His hat lifted from his head, the light bright. Blinding.

Down

Down

Splat.

“You guys _sure_ are dropping like flies.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But wait, didn’t someone just die last chapter? Yeah. And someone’s kicked the bucket again. Sorry Hoshi Ryoma fans! The rest of the cast won’t be dropping like flies. Probably. (Post your theories on who’ll die next ahaha) Anyway, chapter 5 has already been plotted. Just need to hammer it out. Updates are every other week, by the way.
> 
> If ya’ll wana talk, you can find me as “Sleepchaser” in Chrysanthemum Garden's [discord server.](https://discord.gg/Q2BxzM3)
> 
> Until next time!


	5. Calm Before the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I am floored with the reception. 200 total kudos, 35 comment threads, and 30 public bookmarks. Keep raining them kudos, comments, and bookmarks on me yessss. It’s super motivating, and when I’m motivated, I write more and faster.

Some screamed. Some froze in terror. Still others collapsed onto their behinds. 

It was a long way down… but the red was as visible as ever. 

“You certainly are on a roll!” taunted Monokuma, seeming to have appeared out of thin air once again. “Could it be you cubs just couldn’t wait to see me again?” 

Momota’s face reddened from rage. “S-shut up!” 

Meanwhile, Monokuma whistled. “That sure is a drop.” He grinned menacingly. “His body’s probably just a stain on the ground now. All those guts and innards flying. Bones crunching. Upupupu~!

“Well aren’t you guys lucky? Pretty soon you’ll get to go down two floors instead of one!”

“It can’t be…”

“But what a pity. Since that shorty died by accident, I can’t give you guys a special quest this time.” Large, fake tears spilled from Monokuma’s eyes. “And worse yet, I can’t let you guys go down a floor immediately since that would be dishonoring that maid’s memory… You wouldn’t want to dishonor her memory now, would you?”

“What?” Chabashira jabbed a finger at the despicable bear. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, didn’t you know? I can speak to the dead! And that girl who died yesterday said she’d be sad if you all forgot about her so soon!”

Harukawa furrowed her brows. “You’re kidding right? There’s no way you can talk to ghosts. Now let us down. That was the deal.”

“Yeah, quit being so stingy, Monokuma!” 

“Huh?! No means no, you shitty kids! If you keep nagging, I’ll push back the date even more.”

That got everyone’s attention. Thirteen pairs of eyes glared at the monochromatic bear, scathing and resentful. 

But Monokuma only laughed. “Now, cheer up guys! Just be nice and obedient and I’ll let you all go down two floors next week!” With that, he vanished from their sights again.

At this point, most of the students had long since stopped listening to what Monokuma said. Numb and in a state of shock and despair, they had lost their drive… 

Yet as always, Kaede was an exception.

“We can’t lose hope, everyone! Yes, this is a block in the road for us, but if there’s a block, just walk around it! We can’t give up!”

“Akamatsu,” said Amami, gently tapping on her shoulder. His eyes reflected understanding and another hard to discern emotion. “They need some time to reflect. Everyone’s gone through so much just now.”

Kaede’s eyes widened, and then she nodded, albeit stiffly. “Y-you’re right. I’m sorry. I won’t rush you guys. But in order to get out of here safely, we really need to stay together as a team. There are no rules stating we have to go against each other to survive, so the best thing we can do is group up.” The more she spoke, the brighter her eyes glowed with determination. Standing to her side, Amami nodded. She continued to say, “Even if it’s just to spend a few minutes each day reporting what we find to each other, or even just counting heads at the library before nighttime, it’ll be helpful. For the sake of our friends’ sacrifices, we need to hold on and get through this together!”

Right after the rest of the students had heard Kaede’s speech, they seemed to have regained their coloring, no longer greyed out by despair. The atmosphere in the hall lightened. However, that was not to say everyone lost their suspicions.

“I agree to show my face for roll call at night, but I will still be taking my rest and meals alone,” said Korekiyo. 

“That’s more than I can hope for,” said Kaede, though she was unable to hide the slight twitch of her grimace.

At that moment, the sound of sniffling. Shuichi turned to the direction of the noise and realized it had come from Yumeno. She had tugged her witch’s hat down to cover her eyes, but her tears were still visible.

Chabashira patted her back gently, cooing in a hushed voice. Then she turned to the crowd and said, “Himeko-chan’s a soft soul. She could hardly sleep after Toujo’s death, and before we even finished grieving, Hoshi died too. Give her a break, everyone.”

“I-I’m sorry guys…” A hiccup left Yumeno’s lips.

“No… you don’t have to apologize.”

“Kiibo’s right! You’ve done nothing wrong, Yumeno-san!”

What’s left unspoken was the fact that they couldn’t properly honor Hoshi’s corpse. Not with it being a mess of flesh at the bottom of the elevator shaft. When the students thought of this, they could only steel their hearts. 

That night, as Shuichi left his classroom and headed for the library, he did not fall apart like he had the night of Toujo’s death. But as he walked down the hall, the pita-pat of his footsteps were lost to him, a haze to his gaze. It didn’t feel real. Hoshi’s sudden death, everything that had transpired during this week of hell, did not seem real. Rather, it were as though he was seeing himself from the third person, his soul numb from everything around it.

_I’m dissociating_ . Shuichi attempted to calm his breathing. _I need to get a grip on myself._

The door to the library swung open. As soon as Kaede saw him, she waved, a somewhat-forced smile on her face.

The other students were lounging around on the sofas and couches. Shuichi approached Kaede.

“It’s good to see you here, Saihara. Korekiyo just left, so that makes thirteen people accounted for right now...” She bit her lip. It was evident something lay on her mind. Shuichi waited patiently for her to continue, and sure enough, she did after a few moments of hesitation. “Is Ouma-kun coming? If he isn’t, then do you know where he’ll be staying the night?”

Her question fell in line with his expectations. Mustering the warmest smile he could, Shuichi replied, “He said he’ll sleep in our starting classroom tonight and to tell you he’s okay. I wouldn’t worry about him. Ouma-kun seems pretty resilient.”

“That’s reassuring to hear.” Kaede nodded. “How about you? Are you staying at the library tonight?”

“Yeah. I’ve thought it over, and I think you’re right. We need to stick together as a group in order to leave this place.” Shuichi led Kaede to the last unoccupied loveseat. He beckoned for her to sit first. “I don’t trust Monokuma. Not to sound like Korekiyo, but he’s hiding things from us. I’m not certain he’ll actually let us out once we pass the Final Exam.” Shuchi turned to Kaede, looking straight into her eyes. “I want to believe in everyone here. And I think you’re the most suitable person to lead us, Kaede-san.”

Unknown to Shuichi, his gleaming gaze and long lashes caught the other party in a trance for just a moment. But the second he turned away, the spell was broken.

“You can take this couch, Kaede-san,” he said. Then he pointed to a carpeted area nearby. “I’ll take the floor tonight.”

“Ah, but haven’t you been sleeping on the ground since the first day? I don’t mind taking the floor.”

“It’s okay. I’m used to it. Plus, I don’t think I’ll be having much sleep anyway.”

Shuichi hadn’t been wrong with his prediction. No matter how hard he tried to pull at the coattails of slumber, he couldn’t get a wink of sleep. It didn’t help that the library was cold and he didn’t have a blanket. Not to mention, the added warmth of Kokichi’s body heat.

The image of the other teen flashed through his mind. _I’ve done what you asked._ Shuichi rolled over, facing the wall. _From now on, I’ll be a liar._

All of a sudden, the image of Hoshi falling with his hand outstretched to the sky hijacked his thoughts. Before he had realized it, Shuichi had already arrived at one of the stalls in the girls’ restroom, emptying out the contents of his stomach.

He did not notice the sour stench of bile and vomit. As he gripped the toilet bowl, the tears finally fell.

  
  


* * *

Unbeknownst to him, a pair of eyes opened, the person looking at the doors Shuichi had just left from.

  
  


* * *

Shuichi woke up with a start.

The surroundings hardly resembled the library. On the contrary, the familiar brown floor tiles of the hall came into view. He turned to glance behind him. The wall he had thought he was leaning on was actually a door to a classroom. And upon closer inspection, it was to the classroom the others had assumed he and Kokichi had woken up in.

_How did I get here?_ _  
_ _  
_ The last thing he remembered was throwing up his guts in the girls’ restroom. Shuichi massaged his own shoulder, trying to knead out the knots that had appeared overnight.

At that moment, his MonoWatch lit up.

> ☆Team Wolf Quiz Perk!☆
> 
> 24 hours from now, the first Quiz will take place.
> 
> The Sheep will have thirty minutes to escape the Maze.
> 
> Each Wolf is tasked with making sure one doesn’t.
> 
> Additional details will be announced on the scheduled date! 

The time read 8:00 am. He frowned, turning off the screen to his MonoWatch for now. Just as Shuichi was about to knock on the classroom door, it swung open.

“O-Ouma-kun…”

Still holding the door knob, Kokichi stared at Shuichi, his face devoid of emotion. But a blink, and such a sight vanished.

“Oh. Fancy seeing you here, Saihara-chan.”

Although Shuichi hadn’t had long to study the other party’s face, in the little time he did, he was able to discern a couple things. First, there had been faint shadows around Kokichi’s eyes. Second, his hair had seemed messier than usual.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

“Hmm, are you seriously asking me this question? I would have thought Mister Detective could deduce it with one look.”

Shuichi was startled. After thinking over it carefully, he probingly asked, “You get grouchy without enough sleep, don’t you?”

“Give the man an award! He’s got a higher IQ than a braindead zombie.”

Okay, Shuichi was sure of it now. 

He brushed off Kokichi’s irritableness and held out a hand. Kokichi stared at it, undisguised suspicion flashing in his eyes.

“Let me buy you some coffee,” said Shuichi, hand still stretched out. 

Shortly after, the other boy slapped his palm and headed for the solarium. But not without glancing back at Shuichi first. “Come on, slowpoke! I want a can of Boss coffee.”

Two cans of coffee later, Kokichi was back to his not-as-abrasive self.

“Phew! That really hits the spot. Though I could really go for some Panta too.”

“Ouma-kun, what do you think about the Quiz perk?” said Shuichi, ignoring his statement.

Kokichi placed a hand to his chin. “Well, we don’t know the punishment for failing yet, but I bet it’s something nasty.” His expression grew sinister, eyes and smile too wide. But such an expression left as quickly as it had arrived. He scanned the area, making sure no one was about to enter the solarium. “Anyway, we’re definitely picking Kiiboy. He’s not even human so why should I care?”

Shuichi decided not to argue with him on this one. While he felt bad for agreeing with Kokichi’s words, the truth was the truth. “Okay, that’s one person—”

“—Robot.”

“Yes, yes, I get it. Then who’s our other target?”

“Someone slow of course! And easy to restrain!”

“So that’d be…” Shuchi’s eyes widened. He whipped his head to face his teammate.

“You’ve got it.” Kokichi’s grin was sharp enough to cut. “Our resident little magician. Yumeno Himiko.”

“No, we can’t do that.” Disgust welled in Shuichi’s heart for even thinking such a thing. He recalled the frail, little figure in the hall yesterday, trying her best to hold back her tears but failing. The tremble in her voice as she apologized to them. “Soft soul” was how Chabashira had described her. _I can’t do that to her. I can’t!_

“She’s our best chance at victory! Half the time, she’s asleep!”

“If we’re going by who’s the easiest to subdue, why Kiibo, then? I’m sure he has tons of gadgets to defend himself.”

Kokichi looked at him as if he were mentally challenged. “Why Kiiboy, you ask.” His voice proved low, like he had only it meant for his own ears. “You’re asking me this question. Really? Isn’t it obvious I’m doing this for you?”

“W-what?”

“Gosh Saihara-chan, maybe _you’re_ the one without enough sleep! I chose Kiiboy ‘cause I know that just one human target is enough to mess you up!” 

Shuichi stood there, stunned.

“I need you with me, Saihara-chan. We need to work together, and this also means compromising when necessary. So I won’t force you if you truly don’t want the magician as our target. But I’m just saying, no matter who we pick, we’ll be hypocrites. So we might as well not make it any harder on ourselves.”

His eyes peered into Shuichi’s own. Shuichi had the urge to step back, to look elsewhere, but found he had no control over his body at the moment. Then Kokichi sighed. Turned away.

He headed for the door, back facing Shuichi. Suddenly, Shuichi snapped out of his reverie. “Wait!”

The footsteps stilled.

“I—We’ll go for her. We’ll go for Yumeno-san.”

Slowly, Kokichi turned back around, an indecipherable expression on his face. For a second, Shuichi almost couldn’t breathe.

But he chose this. The person before him was many things, yet above all, he was his partner.

And after he would wake up on the morning of the next day, he’d learn the weight of those words.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, since it’s basically an intermission. Next chapter we’ll finally be at the first Quiz. How exciting (:
> 
> I’ll probably have chapter 6 out a bit earlier than usual. It’s already halfway plotted, anyway. Until next time.
> 
> P.S. OKAY so I know this isn't a new Danganronpa game but this [trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6z-iHJpmyw) is for the newest game made by the same creators. And dayumm it looks good.


	6. The First Quiz: Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the great response again! 247 total kudos, 43 comment threads, and 41 public bookmarks. Shower me with kudos and bookmarks ty. Motivated me to write more <3

Shuichi’s eyes burst open.

Before him darkness, thick and congealing. If he reached out, perhaps it would feel as if he were wading through viscous depths. But the longer he focused his vision, the sharper his eyes became, until he was able to discern blurry silhouettes before him.

One thought rang loud and clear in his mind.

_I'm in the Quiz right now._

He forced himself to calm. To take in and analyze the current situation.

_I can't see anything… so either it's pitch black here or they've tampered with my vision._

Who "they" referred to did not need to be mentioned.

The first thing on his list was to regroup with Kokichi. By Shuichi's calculations, the other teen should not be far. But for some reason, he held an inkling that should he make a noise at this moment, things would not bode well. 

Instead, Shuichi opted to turn on his MonoWatch screen as a makeshift flashlight. But no matter how many times he pressed the on button, nothing happened. Left with no other option, he thrust his arms out, hoping to find his way by touch. As he searched clumsily for his partner, he tried to recall how he had arrived in this unfamiliar space.

First, Shuichi had woken up in the hallway without knowing how he had gotten there. Then, he spoke with Kokichi, discussing their game plan for the first Quiz. After that… nothing.

Try as he might, Shuichi could not summon the memories following his conversation with Kokichi.

_Is my memory loss from natural causes? Or something man made?_

At that moment, light.

But only a hint, a mere dull glimmer upon the shadows all around. Still, he could see what was written on the screen of his MonoWatch, and that was enough.

> ☆Quiz 1: Wolf’s Side☆
> 
> LOCKED: Pending briefing.
> 
> Failure: ☠

Shuichi’s eyes remained narrowed, still trying to adapt to the light, when someone grabbed his shoulder.

The moment he was about to elbow them in the face, they let go. “Relax Saihara-chan! It’s just me.”

The dim glow of the watch’s screen was barely enough to make Kokichi’s face visible. The other teen brought his own MonoWatch close to his face for this reason. “I’m not sure if we’re still in the same building.”

Before Shuichi could process those words, a familiar, gut-wrenching giggle resounded through the area.

“Upupupu~”

_Where is he?_ Shuichi turned his head, shifting to different directions in an attempt to track down Monokuma’s location. But it was to no avail.

“Congratulations to you Wolves for getting this far! Man, you guys better make the Quiz interesting or I’ll be mad!”

“You’re not just going to tell us the obvious, right?” said Kokichi. 

“Of course not! I’m here to give you a briefing!”

Shuichi swallowed. _Bingo._

“You guys have ten minutes to pick up supplies and mix into the herd of Sheep. Oh right, I don’t usually do this, but since I’m in a good mood, here's a bit of advice: to your right is a table with two pairs of infrared goggles. Better not lose them! They’ll be your greatest asset in this event… other than yourselves, of course!”

The two teens spared no time in inching their way to the table. They felt around with their hands. Sure enough, Monokuma had spoken the truth.

As Shuichi put on the goggles, Kokichi said from his side, “Okay, we have the goggles. Now what?”

“Don’t be so impatient! I was just getting there!” Monokuma had the audacity to sound annoyed. Then, a click. One by one, two rows of lights lit up from the ground, creating a path to a nondescript door. “Beyond that door is the Starting Area. Right now, the Sheep should still be knocked out cold. But in a few minutes, they will wake up. Unlike you big, bad Wolves, their goal is to escape the Maze in under one hour. Whereas you guys—”

“Have to make sure two of them don’t get out, yeah yeah.”

“Hey you lil’ twerp! Did your parents never teach you not to interrupt people?”

“Wouldn’t know. Never met my parents,” said Kokichi, his tone one of extreme boredom. “Can we get on with this already? They should be about to get up.”

“Is there anything else we need to know before we can start?” asked Shuichi. He tried to push down those cold, frank words of Kokichi prior. Right now wasn’t the time to dwell on them.

“Hmmm. Well the Sheep got their own defensive equipment. Unlike you guys,” added Monokuma with a sinister grin.

Shuichi furrowed his brows. But he didn’t waste any more time; as he and Kokichi approached the door, he said, “So they’ll have weapons while we have nothing?”

“What do you mean nothing? Don’t you have those goggles on your head? Anyway, I’ve got to go. I’m a busy bear, ya know?”

With that, Monokuma’s heavy presence vanished from the space.

Shuichi glanced at his partner. The reds and yellows shone vibrantly, in stark contrast with the dark backdrop. “Are you ready?”

An impish grin. “When haven’t I been?”

And they stepped through the door.

True to the depraved bear’s words, eleven bodies lay on the ground, bright to their eyes.

Careful not to step on the other students, Shuichi felt around their bodies for anything that could be considered “defensive equipment.” His hands came in contact with something. Its shape was familiar. It only took a few moments for Shuichi to recognize what it was.

_A gun?_

He felt around the edges, fingers brushing against what seemed to be a trigger. A plethora of thoughts flashed through his mind. He aimed the object toward the ceiling, away from the students. _If not a gun, then—_

ZAP!

_A taser._

The loud crackle thrust the unconscious students awake with a start. 

“W-where am I?

“HIMIKO-CHAN, I’M OVER HERE! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!”

“P-please don’t shout in my ear,” said Shirogane.

“Huh?! Did the Quiz start already?”

“I’m into blindfolds, but this is hardly getting me gushing!”

“Shut it, you disgusting slut.”

“Hiieeek!”

“Everyone calm down!” It was obvious with just a few words who this voice belonged to. “The Quiz should have probably started if we’re all awake. Let’s check our MonoWatches!”

Within moments, thirteen dim glows among a sea of darkness. 

"Huh? A maze?"

"Looks to be the case, Momota-san," said Kaede. "And it seems like we've only got one hour to escape."

"I don't like this." Harukawa's voice held a trace of unease, unlike its usual indifference. "And what's with the ‘defensive equipment?’ You mean this baseball bat?"

"I have a baton."

"Same here," said Amami.

Kiibo frowned. "Strange. I did not wake to anything."

"Maybe because your whole body is a weapon. Hey, how do we know you won't just off all of us in the dark?"

"Ouma-kun! This is extreme discrimination toward my kind! Just because I am a robot doesn't mean I have any weapons on me. And it definitely doesn’t mean I’ll hurt anyone!"

"Kiibo's right. Stop being such a jerk."

But Kokichi merely shrugged. "The truth's the truth."

"I also do not have a weapon," said Korekiyo.

“Me too.”

"Wait, are guys seeing this? Says we can't have the MonoWatch screens on after the first door."

"Yeah… but I don't see any punishment listed for it."

"Do you want to be our guinea pig then?"

"On s-second thought Harukawa, I probably shouldn't risk it," said Momota.

“It is okay, for Atua will light the way!"

“Speaking of light, there's one thing that has been bothering me,” said Shuichi. “Kiibo, can you light the way? Turn on a flashlight or something?"

"Negative. All of my functions that can be used to illuminate the path are currently unresponsive."

A sigh escaped his lips. "That's what I thought. We truly have to rely on our other senses to get around then. Mainly our sense of touch.”

Shuichi shuffled through the crowd, making his way closer to the shortest person: Yumeno Himiko. With the infrared goggles on, he could see the second shortest person, Kokichi, a distance away to his left. A blob of indigo stood next to his partner: Kiibo.

_Thankfully he gives off some semblance of heat._

“I think the door is ahead this way,” said Kaede. “Everyone stick close. It’d be terrible if someone got lost.”

“Roger that.”

"How about we hold hands?" said Shirogane. "Wouldn't that make it less likely for someone to wander off?"

But Shuichi would not allow his plans to be ruined. "I'm not a hundred percent certain, but I think it's better we don't do that."

"Why not?" asked Kokichi, in just an instant clued in.

"We were given weapons, right? There has to be a reason for it. If we all hold hands, then how can we defend ourselves from whatever’s out there?" _And how can I sneak around otherwise?_

"Oh shit, you're right."

"Great thinking, Saihara! As expected of my sidekick!"

"...Don't thank me yet. We still need to get out of this maze first."

“Hmm. I think I read somewhere before that as long as we touch the wall and keep along the left, we’ll eventually find our way out!”

“A blonde bimbo like you actually reads? Forgive me if I say I don’t buy it.”

“You little!”

“Enough. Chill out guys,” said Amami. “But I have to admit, that’s a good idea. Why don’t we just try that?” 

Everyone agreed. Kaede led the group, with Amami trailing at the middle of the pack. Fortunately, Yumeno was near the rear. Unfortunately, so was Chabashira.

Only the sound of footsteps and breathing could be heard. For one reason or another, the students chose not to speak during this period.

But this all changed after the sound of a _click_.

A hairsbreadth of a second later, a gasp followed by a rustle.

"What's wrong?" asked Amami, rushing to the front.

"I… I…"

"Take a deep breath, Akamatsu-san. I've got you."

"Gonta here for you too."

"Thank you Kiibo... Gonta… If it weren’t for you guys, I would have..."

"There's a pit ahead." Kokichi's voice swept through the surrounding space, shattering the mood. A whistle. "And spikes too."

Kokichi was right. Just half a step in front of the trembling Kaede sat a pit littered with sharp spikes. A few fluorescent lights lined the inner perimeter, making the unsettling sight visible to some degree.

"At least the mastermind was kind enough to allow us to see that," said Korekiyo, sarcasm permeating his words.

"Yeah,” piped Kokichi. “After we have more holes in us than a block of Swiss cheese.”

"I heard a click earlier. Could someone have set off a booby trap?"

"Shit, maybe there's more than one!"

"No way…"

Shuichi brought a hand to his chin. Things had grown more complicated, but it wasn't as if it were completely unexpected. When it came down to it, a game with an obvious conclusion was boring. The scale had been too tipped toward the Sheep's favor just now.

_And now it's more balanced._

He turned his head toward his target. Even through the infrared goggles, it was evident that trembles wracked Yumeno's body. The red and yellow blotches next to her, courtesy of Chabashira, caused his brows to furrow. Here was someone who could beat him in a fight with her eyes closed. Literally. If he wanted a sliver of a chance of getting to Yumeno, he'd have to get rid of the Ultimate Aikido Master first.

_But how? How can I do this without drawing attention to myself?_

Shuichi could be considered strangers with the large majority of the group. However, if there was something he prided himself in, it was his ability to read others, his skills of deduction coming at a close second. For this reason, Shuichi grasped a few traits of Chabashira Tenko in the week of knowing her. One, she was a misandrist. Two, she was proud. And three, she was easy to confuse. Utilizing all three of these points would be his best bet.

"I guess this is a dead end." Momota's voice rang loud and clear. "Damn it! What are we going to do now?"

Harukawa clicked her tongue. "Isn't it obvious? We turn back and make another turn."

"I meant the strategy Iruma brought up before. Following along the left side? Well fuck all that that did for us. Even if we backtrack to the closest fork, we're still out of a plan now."

"Woah! For once, you actually said something smart!"

"Damn shrimp, where are ya?! Come here so I can throttle you!"

"Either way, we'll have to turn around for now," said Shuichi, completely ignoring the two's argument. “But... don't you think it's strange we haven't run into something dangerous yet?"

Yumeno tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean? Isn't the spiked pit something dangerous?"

"No, no. You don't understand what Saihara-chan's getting at. Did you guys conveniently forget we have weapons? And what that implies?"

Kaede's eyes widened like saucers. "You mean… we haven’t been attacked yet?"

"Think about it. We're blind as bats right now! How easy would it be for one of Monokuma's cronies to sneak up on us? Just WHAM on the back of our heads and we're goners!" Despite the harrowing message of those words, Kokichi's tone proved light and playful. An unsettling combination.

"That's why, I think the girls should be in the middle with the guys on both ends."

"Huh? I never pegged you as the chivalrous type, Ouma."

"Why, I'm plenty gentleman. Just not toward gross pigs like Iruma."

"Hiiiieeek!"

“Gonta likes this idea! Gonta will take the front—ACHOO!”

“Or better yet,” said Shuichi, the three traits of Chabashira flashing through his thoughts, “the strong at the ends and the ones who can’t fight in the middle.”

“Wouldn’t that mean Saihara-chan should be at the center? Don’t worry, I’ll protect ya!”

For some reason, Shuichi’s face burned. “O-Ouma-kun…”

“Enough flirting, you degenerate males! I, Chabashira Tenko, will protect the girls only!”

Which led to Chabashira charging to the front of the group, too fueled by a sudden rush of energy to remember her magician friend.

_Hook, line, and sinker._

Soon after, everyone once again fell silent. This time, Shuichi was among the three boys at the back of the pack: himself, Korekiyo, and Momota. 

And Yumeno?

Right in front of him.

It surprised him how things had worked out. Perhaps it was due to a bout of confusion, how he and Kokichi had egged her on, or both, but Chabashira had separated from Yumeno. Whatever the reason, Shuichi wasn’t about to let this chance slip through his fingers.

_If Korekiyo hadn't been lying earlier about having no weapon, then I should be able to subdue him should the situation call for it. I don't know what Momota has, but he looks strong regardless. I should avoid him if possible._

He stared at the figure composed of bright reds and yellows before him.

_What kind of weapon does she have?_

Before he could ponder some more, he crashed into her back, knocking her to the ground. “Sorry,” said Shuichi, extending a hand only to remember Yumeno could not see at the moment. Bit by bit, the red and yellow blob before him rose to a stand. She said, “Ah, it‘s okay… Um… Don’t panic but I think the others are gone.”

“What did you say?” Momota rushed forward while feeling along the wall. 

With a rare sense of urgency to his voice, Korekiyo asked, “The others have disappeared?”

_Did they set off a booby trap? But then why didn’t I hear anything? Not even a scream?_ Shuichi took a few paces forward. Then a few more. He turned around. “How did you know?”

“Huh?”

“How did you know the others were gone? None of us can see and we’re not holding on to each other.”

“The footsteps…”

“Footsteps?” parroted Momota.

“Ah that makes sense. You stopped hearing footsteps in front of you, so you stopped in your tracks.” Shuichi nodded to himself. “Then did you hear any other noise? Like a click or something a booby trap might make?”

Yumeno shook her head. “Nothing like that… I just know the footsteps in front disappeared and I… got scared… Do you think they were attacked?”

“Seems unlikely. There would have been a huge clamor if that were the case,” said Korekiyo.

“T-then what should we do? Keep going? Maybe if we shout for them, they’d answer?”

“Or bring Monokuma’s cronies over.”

As the others discussed among themselves, Shuichi ran through his thoughts. The way things were headed, he and Kokichi might not even have to personally act to win. It seemed like the maze itself was enough of an obstacle. About half an hour had already passed, give or take a few minutes, yet the exit still stood beyond their reach.

What gave him pause was the lack of sound in the others’ disappearance. It made the possibility of triggering a trap all the more unlikely. In fact, it almost seemed outside the realm of logic, tip toeing on the rim of magic. _Could they have been spirited away? No… Impossible…_

But as Shuichi felt along the left wall, he touched something that caused his heart to tremble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is safe during this COVID-19 pandemic. Stay indoors if you can and wash your hands!
> 
> Anyway, gosh was this chapter hard to write. A chapter in complete darkness… Next chapter, we’ll get to see things in Kokichi’s perspective I think. I’ve got the general idea plotted out. Just need to add the damn details.
> 
> Until next time!


	7. The First Quiz: Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, so happy about the response of last chapter. 301 total kudos, 55 total comment threads, and 51 total public bookmarks. All I can say is THANKS and MORE MORE hahaha. As usual, throw kudos and comments at me to motivate me to write more (;

It felt familiar.

The notch on the left wall of the maze felt suspiciously familiar.

Almost as if he had walked by this same exact spot several times before. Shuichi could feel his blood coursing through his veins, could hear his heart pounding in his ears.

_I have to test this out._

He slowed his pace into a crawl, and Momota crashed into his back, nearly knocking the wind from his lungs.

“What? What happened?” Momota’s tone illustrated his panic.

“Did you find something?”

Shuichi sucked in a deep breath, an attempt to compose himself. He said, “Guys, wait here. I need to check something.”

“W-what? You’re going off on your own? It’s too dangerous!”

“Momota’s right. Why are you doing this?” asked Yumeno.

“I’ll be fine. Plus, even if it isn’t safe, all the better that you stay put.”

Even Korekiyo had something to say. “I have reservations about this.”

“Seriously, don’t worry,” blurted Shuichi. “I won’t go far. Don’t forget, I have a weapon too.”

This much seemed to assuage their fears for now.

And so, he broke free from the group. If he remembered correctly, there had been other indentations into the wall like this one, though not with the same depth and diameter. From the start of the maze, Shuichi had counted six notches before encountering that fork in the road, with the left split that led to the spiked pit. 

Sure enough, before him stood a forked path. He took a left. Moments later, he caught sight of the spiked pit’s telltale glow.

His stomach dropped.

_We’ve been walking in circles._

Shuichi rolled his free hand into a fist and concentrated on his breathing, nails digging into his palm. The pain cleared his head. He couldn’t stay here for long. The others would grow concerned and search for him soon. 

A few moments more, and he headed back to the group.

“It’s a dead end to the left. Let’s take a right instead,” he said.

Shuichi performed this test three more times. And the data he gathered was staggering. Everything pointed to a pattern.

Odd notches led to open paths on the left and dead ends on the right. Evens led to traps on the left, and open paths to the right. 

The other group must have separated from them on an even notch. 

But perhaps the most damning evidence was something else entirely: a poorly-carved smiley face near one of the even wall notches.

He had traced it multiple times with a finger, feeling out the depth of each scrawl, the smooth of each curve. 

If he had to place a gamble…

The face of a certain violet-eyed boy came to mind.

“How much time do we have left?”

Momota’s voice broke Shuichi free from his thoughts. Through his infrared goggles, three red and yellow blotches congregated near one another a bit of a ways from him. 

“If I were to guess, probably less than ten minutes.” said Korekiyo.

“Damn it!”

“Shh. We still don’t know what’s out there.”

“Saihara! Do you…” The panic in Momota’s voice proved hard to listen to. “Do you have any idea what we should do?”

Although Shuichi could not see his gaze, he could picture it all the same: bright and shining with a deep desperation. 

_They’re out of options. So now, they’re turning to me._

If the guilt weren’t so heavy on his shoulders, he might have felt heady.

Still, when it came down to it, he had to give them something. A nibble that would help preserve the trust they had in him. 

He took a deep breath. Silenced the voices in his head telling him this wasn’t a good idea.

“Say… doesn’t this path seem familiar?”

  
  


* * *

  
  


Twenty minutes ago.

The longer this went, the harder it was to control his hands from shaking.

Kokichi glanced up at his target who walked right in front of him. Indigo and purple. Evidence of his less than human nature. 

Saihara-chan was probably closer to the back of the group. That was where he had last seen the shortest red and yellow blob. Aka the little Ultimate Magician.

Not like Kokichi believed in things like magic.

He glanced at Kiiboy once more. Clutched the taser in his hand. Earlier, when the other students had been unconscious, he had swiped it from someone. Probably one of the ones who said they had no weapon. His eyes softened. If Kokichi remembered correctly, Saihara-chan should also have a taser.

Not like Kokichi believed he’d actually use it.

_Then it’s up to me to win this for us._

His violet gaze hardened. 

"We've been walking for so long but it seems like…"

"Seems like what, Shirogane-san?" asked Piano Girl.

"...Like we're getting nowhere."

Hushed murmurs filled the surrounding space. Yet, onward they went. Whether the stragglers at the back had heard this conversation never crossed the minds of the others. He glanced behind him, but due to the near single-file they’d been moving in, it was hard to see the ones at the rear. To judge their reactions.

It might have been a simple complaint from Miss Cosplay, but her words echoed in Kokichi’s mind. Getting nowhere? Was that really true? Or…

He had to force himself not to stop walking, heart pounding madly from the sudden realization. 

It wasn’t that they were going nowhere.

Something had felt strange earlier. Something like an indentation into the maze’s left wall. And it wasn’t just one. The moment they had stepped through the doors of the Starting Area and into the Maze, up until when they nearly fell into the spiked pit, Kokichi had counted six notches.

_There’s a clear mechanism to keep track of where we are. Or maybe, of what’s out there. So what’s out there?_

There was no way he could figure anything out by staying put in the group. Kokichi exploited his small size and quick and silent steps to go off ahead. He tested a few things, checking both the left and right paths leading from each notched path. And his results were astounding. 

Odd notches led to open paths on the left and dead ends on the right. Evens led to traps on the left, and open paths to the right.

_Looks like Miss Cosplay got it half right._

A circle!

A wave of giddiness washed over him. So even if he and Saihara-chan didn’t do anything, victory was well within their reach. 

Or was it?

Kokichi bit his lip. Would it really be that easy?

Saihara-chan had said it before.

_“It would be quite a boring show if that’s the case.”_

These people, the masterminds, audience, or whatever, wanted to see a good show. They wouldn’t just hand victory to the Wolves like that. 

So what was the equivalent of this on the Sheep’s side?

The rules of the first Quiz and Monokuma’s briefing flashed through his mind.

_“The Sheep will have thirty minutes to escape the Maze.”_

_“Beyond that door is the Starting Area.”_

And then it hit him.

What if… the Starting Area did not count as part of the Maze?

_God damn semantics._

Kokichi wouldn’t put it past the makers of this hellish experiment. Although it wasn’t likely that Piano Girl and Amami-chan would come to this conclusion, would lead the other students back to the Starting Area, the possibility was still there. 

He’d have to stomp out every chance that could occur. 

Perhaps that was the whole point of the notches in the wall. So that the Wolves could utilize the traps. Spiked pits were probably just one of several types.

_Then I guess I should make use of them, with how much work the masterminds put into this. Any less would be squandering their efforts._ A smile played on his lips.

If there was anything Kokichi was skilled at, it was causing trouble. And triggering traps fell under that category.

Kokichi glanced behind him. Somewhere at the rear was Saihara-chan.

How could he signal his discovery to him? Should he even try to? His partner was a smart guy after all. The Ultimate Detective. 

He slipped a hand into his coat pocket. Clutched the very real, very sturdy Phillips head screwdriver. 

The wall had been softer than Kokichi had expected. With just a bit of force, he could probably make a mark of his own...

Again, he shot a glance at Kiiboy. A reflex. An action just to compose himself.

Then he ran his mouth, albeit softer than usual. “Hey guys! I think I found something~”

Yet the subsequent rising wall separating the majority of the group from the stragglers was even softer.

* * *

Present time.

Although Shuichi could not see the faces of his companions, he could imagine how they appeared. Shocked, with a trace of despair. 

He gave them a minute to process the information. Giving them more wouldn’t have hurt his purposes either. Not when he had already deduced how the Sheep could pass this Quiz. 

_To deliberately call that place the Starting Area, those masterminds must really like to joke around._

Finally, Momota was the first to break the silence. “So we’re just going to fail the Quiz? Just like that?”

“It appears so,” said Korekiyo.

“This… This doesn’t make any sense. What’s the point of putting us here then?”

“Perhaps they just wanted to toy with us. Human nature can be… cruel at times. Saihara, what do you think?”

Shuichi debated over whether he should give his true opinion. In the end, he said, “I’d like to err on the side of optimism.”

“But if we’re truly walking in circles, then what the hell? How can we get out of here?”

“G-guys… do we know the punishment for failure?” asked Yumeno, her first time speaking since Shuichi had stopped to talk to them earlier.

_If I remember correctly, it was a picture of a skull and crossbones. So probably death._

He swallowed, beads of sweat springing from his forehead at that moment.

“I’m not sure… Wasn’t the box for failure left empty?”

“Indeed, Momota. Perhaps that means death is not on the table.”

“Oh, phew!”

“Then again, that is only my conjecture. We have no way of knowing if it’s true.”

“God damn it! Don’t tell me we’re just going to stand here and do nothing?!”

Shuichi listened to the panicked discussion of the other students in an oddly detached way. The guilt that had wracked his body prior seemed nowhere in sight at the moment. Yet, the shock remained.

_What happened to me?_

Even so, it was clearly not the time to question this now. For in the next moment, a familiar, repulsive giggle rang through the air.

“Upupupu! Looks like you guys get a big, fat F!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, this chapter was hard to write too. It is also the shortest chapter so far. But don’t worry. I think the next one will be longer. I have half of it plotted already.
> 
> Kokichi's POV gives the other characters nicknames because I figured he would in his head. If it's jarring, just let me know, and I might change it if enough people complain.  
> 
> 
> Until next time!
> 
> P.S. I like how the two of these lovable idiots came to the same conclusion about the Quiz separately.


	8. Sudden Realization

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh... have you guys missed me? XD  
> Sorry about the lateness. I have no excuses. But I'm changing the release schedule from every other week to at least once a month... It's a work in progress after all.  
> Thank you to all you lovely readers. We are now up to 386 kudos, 72 comment threads, and 64 public bookmarks. Let's keep this going muahaha. More kudos, more comments!

The hearts of Yumeno, Momota, and Korekiyo thrashed against their chests at the sound of Monokuma’s damning words. 

Shuichi stood there, heart pounding as well, but for another reason.

They did it. They passed their version of the Quiz.

_Ouma-kun. Where is he right now?_

But before he could organize his thoughts more clearly, a strange scent entered his nostrils. His face grew hot, burning, and he could barely hear the screams all around him. 

And then, there was not even that.

When Shuichi roused, he found himself in an empty classroom. Quite similar to the one he and Kokichi had shared just days ago. He furrowed his brows. 

The floor creaked as he made for the door. A wail, and it swung open.

_Where is everyone?_

Before him, a hall devoid of people. It looked suspiciously similar to that of the sixteenth floor, but upon closer inspection, something was amiss. Instead of a sign that read “solarium” at the large room ahead, there was a painting of a wolf. Majestic and serene.

_Where am I?_ Shuichi took a step forward. Then another. And another. His feet went on autopilot, all the way to that strange room. Without realizing it, he reached out, fingers brushing the face of the wolf.

The doors to the room opened.

From within, a flash of light. Bright and blinding.

Squinting, Shuichi stepped through the doors…

And what he saw next sent shock rippling through his bones.

“Ouma-kun?”

Standing in the middle of the room, back facing Shuichi, was Kokichi. At the sound of his name, the shorter youth glanced back, a finger to his lips and a glint to his eyes.

As Shuichi approached, he finally caught sight of what had held Kokichi’s attention prior. Sweat sprung from his skin, clung to his neck. Out of reflex, he dropped his jaw.

Hundreds of screens far as the eye could see. All depicting a different scene, a different point in time. All images Shuichi just _knew_.

The information weighed heavily on him. His knees buckled before collapsing beneath him. But even as he hit the ground with a bang, the other boy did not glance back again. Nor did Shuichi notice this.

Nausea bubbled in his chest. Before he knew it, he had emptied out the contents of his stomach next to him, the feel of the wet, pungent remains on his hands.

“Who knew?” Kokichi’s calm, pensive voice broke the silence. “Who knew it was us all along?” 

Shuichi wanted to nod, to give some semblance of an agreement. Yet just as he was about to, the scene before him melted away, giving way to an empty classroom.

He sat up in a jolt.

The classroom resembled the one had shared with Kokichi just days prior. A frown slid its way across his lips. Pushing himself to his feet, Shuichi made his way to the door. 

For some reason, he felt as if he had forgotten something. Something important. But try as he might, he could not recall a wisp of those things.

His memory seemed to be deteriorating. So many instances where there appeared to be a gap between what he remembered. 

However, it wasn’t the time to think about this now. He needed to regroup with his partner and see what the punishment for the failed Sheep would be.

He peeked into the windows of the classrooms as he passed through the hall. All empty. 

Shortly after, he reached the solarium. He pushed the heavy doors open.

“What do you mean we all failed?!”

“W-what’s going to happen to us?”

No one seemed to have noticed his arrival, all huddled close in the middle of the room. There, standing in all his depraved glory, was Monokuma. His red eye roared like a flame.

“Shut up you noisy kids! Rules are rules! None of you could escape the Maze in the time allotted, so you all fail!”

“You cheated and you know it!” yelled Momota. “There was no way out of there! The Maze was built in a circle!”

Monokuma rolled his eyes. “Gosh, if you actually believe that, then you're dumber than you look. Anyway, stop nagging about fairness. Life’s not fair! Now let’s get to the heart of things: the punishment! Everyone, look at your MonoWatch screens!”

Despite holding no love for their captor, the students complied. 

> ☆Quiz 1 Results☆
> 
> **FAILURE!**
> 
> Punishment: No food or water for two days. Students who report cheaters will be exempt from the punishment and given a special surprise. Found cheaters will be thrown into the Red Room. 

_What a wicked environment_. To Shuicihi, it was evident what the masterminds were going for.

Humans could live up to three weeks without food. Up to four days without water. They were basically dangling a carrot in front of the students, all the while leading them to a pitfall. All the while pushing the students into a state where their morality would be judged.

Those who couldn’t bear the lack of food and water would wrack their brains to sneak some. And those a bit smarter, a bit more selfish, would capitalize on this. A few faces flashed through Shuichi’s mind, but he pushed them out. Sometimes, the most devious of people looked the most harmless.

When it came down to it, they were practically all strangers.

“T-two days?! I-I’d die you know!”

“Hey Monokuma! That’s really cutting it close, isn’t it? Can’t you be more reasonable?!”

“No can do! This is the last time I’ll be saying this!” Then his mug of annoyance contorted into a knowing smirk. “But if any of you want to snitch, feel free to!”

Before the crowd could bombard Monokuma with questions again, it once again blinked out of existence.

A moment of silence. Then the students burst into an uproar once more. As they each spoke over each other, voices shrill and high-pitched, Shuichi suddenly caught a familiar voice louder and more distinct than the rest. 

“Woah, Red Room, huh? That must be like some kind of torture chamber or something!”

Immediately, it were as if the others concentrated their animosity on a single target. Kokichi grinned. Cradled his hands behind his head. 

Not at all concerned.

"What are you playing at Ouma?" said Harukawa through clenched teeth. Her red eyes flashed with a sharp light.

Momota rolled up his sleeves. "You're itchin' for a brusin'!"

"I'm sure Ouma-san has a reason for saying this," blurted Kaede as she made her way between the two boys. She turned to Kokichi, a trace of expectation on her face, a crease to her brows. "You do have a reason, right?"

"Nope!" chirped Kokichi. "I'm just fucking with ya!"

"Why you little—"

"Hold on." This time, it was Shuichi who stepped in. Kaede's gaze fell upon him, her relief evident. The neurons in his brain fired. "I think what Ouma-kun's trying to say is, we need to brace ourselves. The Red Room obviously won't be anything good, since it's linked to the punishment for sneaking food and water."

Incredulous, Iruma said, "You got all that from the shit he said?" A sleazy grin slid its way across her lips. "You've got a pretty big head. Bigger than the one between your legs."

Gasps filled the room. "Iruma-san…"

"Dirty, nasty, cum-filled slut."

"HIIIEEK!"

Coughing twice, Shuichi continued, "As I was saying, the Red Room is dangerous. But there's one other thing that's been bothering me…" He watched as the rest of the students stared at him with bated breath. Fought against the unsettling grimace just threatening to reveal itself and lowered his head. “We’re not the only ones keeping check on each other, right?”

“What do you mean?” asked Amami, brows furrowed.

“The description for Quiz 1’s punishment only mentioned that cheaters who are exposed will be sent to the Red Room. The sentence before it states that anyone who reports a cheater will be exempt from the punishment, giving off the impression that the only way to be ‘exposed’ is if someone reports you. But…” 

Shuichi looked up, turning his sharp gaze to the crowd. “Is that really true?”

“What? What do you mean? Stop talking in circles and just get on with it, degenerate male!” 

Before Shuichi could respond, Kokichi said, “Gosh, is that head of yours empty? Can’t you follow Saihara-chan’s train of thought for once? Maaan he must be getting tired of you guys real quick.”

Somehow, that seemed to strike a chord in some of the students’ hearts. Many pairs of eyes focused on Shuichi, and he’d be lying to say he didn’t feel a trace of awkwardness.

“‘What if we just don't report each other for cheating?’ I’m sure each and every one of you numbskulls thought of that. The real question is, do you guys really want to take this bet?” 

Kokichi chuckled. "Or maybe I’m just overthinking it. I tend to do that a loooot."

There was no way the masterminds or Monokuma weren't keeping watch on them. The surveillance system was proof of that.

There was also no way Kokichi would let the chance of a “special surprise” slip through his fingers.

For this reason… the more chaos and confusion he spread… the better.

He snuck a peek at Saihara-chan. But Saihara-chan wasn’t looking at him.

_Boo. At least thank me for the help later._

Meanwhile, Shuichi’s thoughts were also on surveillance, but of a slightly different vein.

How could he forget about the secret room with all the screens and camera footage? Wouldn’t it be easy for them to find evidence of people sneaking food and water then—

His eyes widened in shock.

_Just what am I thinking?_

Nausea crashed into him like a tidal wave. He had only mentioned the possibility of a trap in the rules as a warning, born of the lagging guilt from passing Quiz 1. At first, he had not felt guilty at all. But the longer he stood there among the crowd, among their gazes full of anticipation for his every word, the worse he felt. The more sentimental he became.

He had only wanted to warn them, and yet…

He glanced at Kokichi. And to Shuichi’s surprise, their gazes met.

The other party’s intention was clear.

Shuichi swallowed. Looked away. But his heart grew calmer after their shared look. More decisive.

“T-then what should we do?” Shirogane was the picture of anxiety. “Are we really going to have to fast for two days?”

“What if Gonta accidentally drink water from washing face in the sink? Will Gonta be in trouble?”

“Everyone calm down,” said Kaede. Though not the tallest, she had a presence that was enough to command the students’ attention. “I think to be safe, we should just refrain from drinking or eating for forty-eight hours. The human body can survive for that long without food and water.” A soft smile graced her lips. “It’s not that I don’t trust everyone. But Shuichi and Ouma-kun are right. There are cameras everywhere, so it’s best to be careful.”

After that, the crowd dispersed. But only heaven knew whether everyone agreed with Kaede’s words or not.

Come night, when most of the students were getting ready for bed in the library, Shuichi excused himself for the bathroom. But instead of heading there, he made for his and Kokichi’s room instead.

Three knocks on the door. A short while later, the door swung open a slit. A violet gaze fell upon him through the gap. “Took you long enough.”

“Sorry,” he said, entering the room.

The door shut behind him with a click.

It had only been a couple days since they started sleeping separately. But already, a sense of nostalgia filled Shuichi as he laid eyes on the makeshift bed, tucked in a corner of the room. 

“What did you want to talk about?” he asked.

Kokichi stared at him, unblinking. Then, with a slight upward tilt of the lips, he said the words Shuichi had foreseen since a while ago.

“What do I have to do to convince you to snitch?”

“Why do you think you need to convince me?”  
  


  
“Please, Saihara-chan. We’re talking serious business here.”

For some reason, that brought a faint smile to Shuichi’s lips. He approached the makeshift bed and sat on top of it. Patted the space next to him.

Arching a brow, Kokichi took a seat there.

Shuichi said, “Isn’t that more comfortable?”

“You’re acting strange, Saihara-chan.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “But I’ll let it slide for now.”

Shrugging, Shuichi opted to feign ignorance. “I still feel guilty—”

“Of _course_ you do—”

“But not guilty enough.”

Well that certainly caught the other teen’s attention. Sharp, calculative eyes swallowed him whole. “Speak,” he said.

Shuichi sucked in a deep breath. “The moment Monokuma announced the Sheep’s failure in Quiz 1, I felt relieved.” He cast his gaze to the blankets beneath him, trying to hide from that gaze focused upon him at present. “I didn’t feel any remorse for winning. In fact, I was exhilarated. It wasn’t until,” he bit his lip, “until we all gathered in the solarium and they all looked at me that I felt any guilt at all.”

“Those looks…”

“Hm?”

“They all looked at you like they wanted something from you. Like they were dependent on your deductions, right?”

Shuichi frowned. “Yeah.” 

“Like they wanted you to lead them.” A long sigh left Kokichi’s lips. “Didn’t I tell you this would happen?”

Just as he was about to respond, the shorter teen said, “Well at least that means you’ve infiltrated deep into their ranks.” In his eyes, a mischievous glint. “We’ll just have to make the best out of it. And I know just the method.” He beckoned Shuichi nearer.  
  
Shuichi leaned toward him.

Kokichi brought his lips close to his ear, nearly brushing. Blew into it.

“O-Ouma-kun!”

“Nishishi! Got you good this time!”

As Kokichi held his stomach in laughter, try as Shuichi might, but he couldn’t summon any anger toward him.  
  
  


“I thought this was supposed to be ‘serious business?’”

“But Saihara-chan looked too cute just now!”  
  
  
  
As soon as he had heard those words, his brain almost short-circuited. “C-cute?”

“I lied! Jeez, you should know by now not to trust everything I say,” said Kokichi, blowing his nails. A complete 180 from before.

Cheeks slightly flushed, Shuichi nodded. “R-right…”

"But back on topic…" Kokichi played with a corner of the blanket. “You’re sure? Aren’t you the one always throwing your morality in my face? Be honest. You were struggling with your guilt on your way here.”

Shuichi tried not to wither under that stare. “I thought about it a lot actually. I can’t change who I am entirely. And neither can you. But little steps are possible. I can’t escape from their eyes, but the longer I stood there, the more I thought…” He looked up. “What do they have to do with me? W-we barely knew each other for a week.” 

“You can say the same thing about us though,” said Kokichi, playing Devil’s advocate.

“But unlike them, we went through life and death together. It’s entirely different. We're… partners, right?"

A thoughtful look spread across Kokichi's face, silence falling upon them for a moment.

Then he turned his attention to the hole in the wall. Or, more accurately, the hole covered by pages of notebooks taped together. "I think we finally have a use for those surveillance TVs."

A good while passed. "What do you think the Red Room's like?

"Getting cold feet already, Saihara-chan?"

"No," he said, straight to the point. "I'm just worried it's fatal."

No one, save psychopaths and the battle torn, would feel calm when taking a life or being the cause of someone's death. And neither Shuichi nor Kokichi fell in any of those categories.

Kokichi brought a hand to his chin. "Honestly, my gut feeling is that it won't be. And I'm sure you've also realized why."

Drawing his brows together, Shuichi asked, "You mean, because of the punishment for failing Quiz 1?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have [fanart](https://fascher.tumblr.com/post/617796524871647232/dirty-dead-gone) now! Thank you so much fascher!
> 
> A new puzzle for our partners in crime to solve...


	9. Traitors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah… Did you guys miss me?
> 
> First off, super sorry for the lateness. I was swamped with summer courses and translating bl novels. If there’s any consolation, there should be another chapter coming… in a couple weeks?
> 
> Second, thanks for being patient. And also for 488 kudos, 80 public bookmarks, and 91 comment threads, Ya’ll amazing

“Bingo,” said Kokichi, an impish grin playing on his lips. “Think about it. When have the punishments for the sheep ever been fatal? At least on their own, anyway. I still find it fishy that breaking three of the class rules apparently kills you, but that’s another story.” Kokichi twirled the corner of the blanket in his hand. “Even failing Quiz 1 only makes them fast for two days. So dying in the Red Room? Fat chance, if you ask me.”

Shuichi nodded. “That’s what I’ve been thinking too.” From this angle, the notebook pages taped together over the hole seemed more comical and out of place than ever. “So we use those monitors to catch us some cheaters.”

“That’s the plan.” Kokichi lay down on the makeshift mattress, cradling his head. “It’s only a matter of time before we find ourselves some hungry little mice.”

“And then what?”

“And then we’ll get that special surprise.”

“Ouma-kun, what do you think it’ll be?”

“Who knows?” said Kokichi, shrugging. “Still, I have a feeling it’d be reeeeally useful.”

* * *

  
  


The next day.

Shuichi sat up from his sleeping spot on the library’s floor. The rest of the students were still asleep, save one. A very special, more dangerous student.

“Kiibo, you’re up?”

An asinine question, really. As if robots could sleep. But what Shuichi needed now was to hook onto every student. To become someone they could count on, could look up to. And what better way to do that than to form friendly relations.

He tried not to think about the time he had puked out his heart the night of Ryoma’s death. About how he somehow woke up the next morning in front of Kokichi’s classroom. About who else could have seen him out in the halls after Lights Out, receiving no punishment...

“Yes, I have been awake all night, Saihara-san. I have tried to activate my hibernation mode, but for some reason it hasn’t worked ever since my arrival here.” Somehow, Kiibo was able to put on an embarrassed expression, robot or otherwise.

“I hope that we can all make it through this punishment without trouble,” said Shuichi, looking at his feet, lying through his teeth. “Anyway, as long as we give each other support, none of us should be sent to the Red Room.”

Shuichi looked up. To his surprise, Kiibo seemed troubled.

A faint impression swirled in his heart. He furrowed his brows. “What’s wrong, Kiibo?”

Kiibo shuffled his feet before gesturing for Shuichi to follow him. All the way out to the hall.

The door shut behind Shuichi with a muted click.

_Now this wasn’t what I was expecting_. He stared at the robot teen, unblinking.

“I think,” said Kiibo, near whisper, “there are traitors among us.”

It were as if a bucket of cold water had been poured all over him. Shuichi struggled to calm his breathing, to still his heart that threatened to pound out of his chest. Luckily, it took mere seconds. He swallowed. “Traitors?”

But Kiibo seemed even worse for wear for some reason. A stiff nod. “I overheard a conversation two to three nights ago, in the library after Lights Out. Those people were whispering, so it was hard to tell if they were male or female. But I distinctly heard the words ‘two sides’ and ‘we have to make sure they lose.’”

The moment Shuichi had heard those words, he felt five parts at ease and five parts thoughtful. Judging by the snippets of dialogue Kiibo had repeated, and the location in which he had chanced upon them, the robot hadn’t overheard him and Kokichi. As for whom he did overhear, Shuichi had some educated guesses.

_Kaede-san has been very vocal about everyone sticking together since day one. If she isn’t one of those people, then I’d be surprised._

What was more surprising was this: the presence of a group other than his and Kokichi’s that knew of the real game at play here. Were there only two people, or were there more? Did they have special perks like the Wolves did?

“Saihara-san?”

“Oh, sorry Kiibo,” said Shuichi, snapping out of his reverie, at least for now. He cleared his throat. “I think we should keep this information between only us for the time being. If what you say is true, there might be more than just two of them. Who knows what they’re planning?”

“I-I’m at a loss.” Kiibo looked at his hands in dismay. “Why would anyone want us to fail escaping from here?”

Placing a hand on Kiibo’s shoulder, Shuichi said, “Maybe… Maybe they have their own circumstances. Things are never as simple as they appear.” A sigh escaped his lips. “In any case, we just need to guard against them.”

“But how?”

Because of where Kiibo was facing, he did not catch the slight upward tilt to the corners of Shuiichi’s lips. “That’s where you come in.”

* * *

Fourteen hours into the punishment came the first slip.

“Gotcha.” 

Shuichi looked up from his desk and notebook, eyes wide.

“Oh, Iruma, you slut. So you’re naughty like this too~.” In the dim room, Kokichi’s silhouette was clearly visible against the bright glare of the monitors.

Shuichi rose to his feet. Rushed over to the other party’s side. “What did she do?”

“She ate a granola bar in the girls’ restroom. So stupid. Does she think there’s no cameras in the stalls?”  
  
  
  
“You’re looking at the stalls?!”

Kokichi turned to him, annoyance flashing in his eyes. “Well, duh! That’s the most suspicious place! Plus, people would feel a sense of comfort with the door shut, especially if it’s in such a private area like a bathroom.” He shrugged, turning back to the screens. “What?” he asked, after a while. “Are you jealous?”

As Shuichi attempted to sputter his rejections, Kokichi grinned and made a beeline for the notebook he had left behind on the desk. “Oooh! Is this a diary I see? Saihara-chan is super lame.”

Snapping back to his senses, Shuichi approached the desk. “It’s not a diary… It’s to record my thoughts.”

“Oh? Mr. Detective doesn’t just store everything in that freakishly big head of yours?”

But Shuichi merely smiled, not falling for his bait. “Don’t worry. I’m not putting anything risky in here. Just something of routine so I don’t start going crazy.” He pointed to a line on one of the open pages. “See? Regular, boring stuff.”

Kokichi flipped through the pages in one fluid motion. A few moments later, he set down the notebook, clearly unimpressed. “That was so… mundane.”

“Well, I did say it was boring.” Shuichi scratched his cheek. Slowly reached out for the book. “So let me just—”

In the blink of an eye, Kokichi snatched it back up. “Nishishi! Finders keepers!” he chirped, stuffing it into an inner pocket of his white coat. “Nuh uh uh. You had your chance, Saihara-chan.” 

He took a step back. “I guess that means you have nowhere else to express your thoughts. You’re lucky I’m a nice guy! I won’t mind lending you an ear sometimes.” With his back to the secret surveillance room, it was hard to see Kokichi’s face. So whether or not that slight pink on his cheeks was a trick of the light proved anyone’s guess. 

Shuichi swallowed, unsure of how to respond, still caught in a daze from the implications of those words. But before he could utter a word, Kokichi returned to the surveillance room. The spell was broken.

“What are you doing?”

“Digging up some more dirt, duh. That dumb bear never said we could only rat out one person. That we could only get one surprise as a prize. Anyway, I’ve already downloaded that recording to my MonoWatch. So we just need to show it to him tomorrow.”

Shuichi widened his eyes. “How did you manage to do that?”

“Trade secret.”

To which he couldn’t help but shake his head. All of a sudden, he nodded. “Right. I almost forgot to tell you. I heard something interesting from Kiibo today.”

“So he _does_ have a dick?”  
  
  
  
“Ouma-kun, it’s serious. He said he overhead what he thought might be traitors.” 

It took almost no time at all before Shuichi relayed everything Kiibo had told him. At the end of it, there was a thoughtful look to Kokichi’s eyes.

“Definitely piano girl. And probably one of the people she always hangs with. We can cross out the slut though. Too stupid.”

“I wonder if their goal directly opposes ours,” said Shuichi.

Kokichi furrowed his brows. “‘We have to make sure they lose,’ was it?” He placed a finger to his lips. “What if ‘they’ refer to the Sheep?”

“So three factions, with two against one? Seems highly unbalanced. And unlikely.” Shuichi blinked. “You’re not just pulling my leg, are you?” 

“Well, doesn’t it make you feel better knowing that there are only two sides?”  
  
  
  
But the Cheshire cat's grin on Kokichi’s lips spoke otherwise. Something crept at the back of Shuichi’s mind. Many things. Like ants crawling. Like connections being made. “No, you’re saying… there _are_ actually three sides. Or rather, close to that. There’s us, the Wolves. Then there’s the Sheep. And among them...”

“Yep! Super mutated brainiac Sheep who’re leading the herd! I bet they’re the only ones besides us who knows what’s _actually_ going on here.”

This information was enough to spark hundreds of theories in Shuichi’s mind. “They know there’s an opposing side, but what else? How much do they know? If only there was a way to infiltrate—”

“Upupupu! You cubs sure work fast.”

Shuichi whipped his head in the direction of that voice. Sure enough, Monokuma stood right by the doors.

Kokichi clicked his tongue. Made his way beside Shuichi. He seemed to have completely changed gears as he said, “So I’m guessing you don’t want us to get another surprise. How stingy.”

Monokuma grinned, sharp and dangerous. “Can’t have you exploiting loopholes like that, ya’know? Anyway who’s the baddie? Gimme the evidence.”

But Kokichi merely stuck out a hand, palm facing up. “Surprise first.”

The two clashed in a battle of stares. Shuichi watched at the sidelines, concern bubbling in his chest.

To his shock, Monokuma relented. “Fine, fine. Not like it’s a loss for me.” At that moment, the bear opened its mouth wide. And it reached down its throat. Shuichi watched on as unsettling sounds of choking and gurgles filled the air, until finally, Monokuma pulled out its moist, dripping hand from that dark cavern.

It extended said hand to Shuichi. In its palm lay a small key. 

Suspiciously reminiscent of the one Kokichi had found in the girls' restroom.

“Take it,” Monokuma said, after gagging some more. “You might just be lucky enough…” Then he turned to Kokichi with a withering glare. “Evidence.”

Slightly shaken from the prior scene, Kokichi fiddled with his MonoWatch. Showed the recording to Monokuma. As soon as it had caught sight of Iruma sneaking some food, its sole crimson eye shone like a supernova, bright and blinding yet threatening to implode at any moment. “Oh. Oh! How naughty!”

“So what’s going to happen to her?” asked Shuichi.

Monokuma shifted its gaze to Shuichi. "Why ask questions when you can experience it?"

"... We'll be attending?"

"Why of course. And it's _participating_."

Shuichi blanched. "You can't be serious. What if the other students see us? Our covers would be blown."

Monokuma shook its head, its disappointment evident. "And you're usually a brainiac too. I never said you'd be going as yourselves."

"What do you mean?" asked Kokichi.

"You'll have disguises," said the bear. "No one would be able to recognize you. And before you say they'd notice you missing, they won't. Because everyone would be stuck in their rooms watching the show on their MonoWatches."

A wide grin stretched across Monokuma's face, almost to the point of splitting its head open. "Anyway, you cubs should hit the hay early tonight. Show's starting tomorrow at 8 am sharp. I'd haaaate for you to fall asleep on the job."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, we finally get to the Red Room…
> 
> If you guys wanna talk, you can find me as “Sleepchaser” in Chrysanthemum Garden's [discord server.](https://discord.gg/Q2BxzM3)


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